Lost then Found but not Healed
by BlackShuriken
Summary: Takes place right after Randall Boggs was illegally banished.A young Cajun college student saves him.She takes it upon herself to help this unknown creature.But he soon becomes a handful.Always degrading and being snarky but she can't just kick him out.
1. Chapter 1

**Declaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Ok so now I'm writing fan fiction about Randall Boggs. Come on. I don't have a life so to speak, what else am I going to do with my time? I want to thank my wonderful beta Luna Rei for all her help!**

**Thank you!**

**chapter 1 **

Danielle DeMarsh groaned as she slid into her tiny busted up green pickup truck. As she settled onto the rough, scratchy seat, she took a moment to rub her aching feet. She was so glad that it was Friday and that tomorrow was her day off. No volunteer work, no school, and no paid work. Nothing to do but sleep. She closed her eyes, envisioning her bed. Barely beginning to doze off, she was jerked awake when her head hit the steering wheel harshly.

"Oww." She rubbed her forehead and sighed as she shook herself awake enough to shove the key into the ignition. The truck started up surprisingly easy despite, the look of it. The thing was ugly, but it was her joy and had never given her a day's trouble. Before she pulled out of the parking lot of the restaurant she was employed at, she took the time to roll down the windows.

The night was heavy with smells, few pleasant. The city sat almost right on a bog, and the sick, sweaty heat in the air certainly didn't help. It was heavy and, even though she had lived here all her life, the smell almost made her gag, but with the humidity, she didn't dare to roll up the windows.

Driving past the downtown area, heading for the outside of the city, her pale face was bathed in the neon lights of the night and sex clubs. She stopped at a red light and looked on with disinterest at the group of colorful people that crossed in front of her. Women were dressed in all types of outfits ranging from almost naked to shiny black leather, despite the heat. They were leading men around on leashes, shirtless and wearing purple lipstick. One young man turned his head and took in the sight of Danielle's tired face and nudged his friends. They stopped in the middle of the road and all began to waggle long pierced tongues at her.

Danielle just rolled her eyes and, as wicked thought crossed her mind, smiled deviously. Suddenly she revved the truck, making it seem to scream in pain as she laid down on her horn. The loud, shrill honk and the sight of the green truck shaking and pouring out black smoke, making it nearly demonic in appearance, had the young punks jumping and scurrying across the road.

Not able to help herself, she burst out laughing, the stress of the day lifting off her shoulders. She watched as the men swore at her, their middle fingers raised. She just shrugged and gave them an impish smile as the light changed and she sped off.

Xxx

The hour-long drive through the back roads of Louisiana past midnight was always spooky, made even spookier by the swamp surrounding her. She turned off the main paved road down a three-mile long gravel one. She slowed the truck, keeping an eye on the road, knowing that sometimes gators and other wildlife liked to lay in the dirt and rocks that were warmed up by the sun during the day. She passed the first and only other home on the road that lead to her own house. The dirty white trailer home was tiny and housed the LaGide family that consisted of a teenage boy and his widowed mother. Danielle tried to get along with them, as they were the only neighbors she had, but they had taken to disliking her. She had protested their treatment of animals, especially the reptiles that seemed to find their way into their home. They were known to beat the poor dears senseless with a shovel and, if it was fat enough, eat them.

Growing up, she had tasted the Cajun dishes with her family, even eating alligator on occasion. But once she got old enough to put her foot down, she had said no. She hadn't eaten alligator since she was thirteen. That was the day she had walked past the LaGide place and saw the newly widowed Mrs. LaGide out skinning several baby alligators. The woman had already skinned three and her blood splattered, grinning five-year-old son was handing her another one. Danielle had stood on the gravel road, watching in disgust and shock, as the woman grabbed the scared baby alligator in her gore covered hand, placed it on the blood soaked wooden table and raised a hammer above the baby's head. Time seemed to slow as Danielle watched the woman bring down the hammer on the flat head of the squeaking baby alligator. All at once it stopped squirming and tears began to overflow from Danielle's eyes. Mrs. LaGide used her strong, callused hands to rip the skin from the still twitching body and then proceeded to gut it. Danielle lost her lunch then and there and ran the two miles back home, nearly passing out several times along the way, her asthma almost doing her in. It was after that day she sought to change the way the people treated alligators or any other animals for that matter.

She knew she couldn't change centuries of tradition in the Cajun culture, but she could help educate about animals, especially reptiles. They weren't evil like so many people believed. They were just like any another animal…just not as cuddly and a bit more dangerous than the average family dog or cat.

Danielle blinked in the harsh light of an oncoming truck. It rudely blew its horn at her and swerved dangerously on the gravel road, the tires kicking out gravel. She blew her horn back and had to pull off to the side of the road. She turned in her seat to watch the truck pull into the dirt driveway of the LaGide's. The now fifteen-year-old son jumped out whooping and hollering.

Danielle narrowed her eyes in suspicion. This road was a dead end leading straight to her house. Why would he even be past their driveway? Turning around, she put the truck back into drive and prayed that the little creep hadn't dumped more animal carcasses in her yard or mailbox again.

When she was less than a mile away from her house, she found that that was exactly what he had done: Dumped a gator right on the side of the road. Sighing, she pulled to a stop and put the truck in park, slowly stepping out. Her heart heavy at the thought of seeing another gator butchered and gutted out, she slowly walked up to it.

But as she got closer, she noticed something was off. It was huge, for one. It also looked too long and slim to be a gator, almost snakelike. Her weariness forgotten, she stared in wonder at the creature at her feet.

'_No way can this be an alligator,' _she thought. She had parked in such a way that the headlights easily illuminated it. It was completely limp, half its scaled body in the tall weedy grass and half on the dusty road. She quickly kneeled beside it, looking it over. The head was covered in bruises and a long gash was on the right side of its head. She raised a hand to gently touch the wide and almost flat head. It was definitely not an alligator, not with three smooth antennae on its head.

Tears pricked her eyes. "Poor baby," she whispered. But suddenly the creature trembled and shuddered away from her touch as it took a deep ragged breath. Danielle snatched her hand back and jumped away from it, not in fear but in wariness of what it might do. Nothing was more dangerous than a hurt animal, she'd learned that from experience. The thing wasn't dead, and, as she watched, it twisted and curled around letting out human like moans.

She had to make a decision. She could and should do the smart thing and walk away to let nature take its course, or she could do the crazy thing and try to get it in the pickup truck and take it home.

Well, she wasn't called crazy for nothing.

Her decision made, she turned and hurried to the truck. Not bothering to close the door, she put the truck in drive and carefully drove closer to the creature.

Jumping back out, she ran around, dropped the tailgate and went back to the creature's side. It wasn't thrashing around anymore, but, on a brighter note, it was still breathing. Closing her eyes, she took a minute to think about what she was about to do. She should tape its mouth and tie it down, but she pushed those thoughts aside, there was no time. It had apparently been bashed in the head and had already lost a lot of blood. Besides, a part of her argued, its muzzle was too short and flat to physically tape shut anyway.

Taking a deep breath, she bent down and lifted the top of its body, trying simultaneously to support its injured head and it keep it away from her. She pulled and tugged, eventually getting the top part of its body into the bed of the truck. The half moon decided to finally slip out from the clouds and that's when she saw it.

It wasn't some giant lizard as she had first thought.

It was a monster.

No animal had FOUR sets of legs.

She backed off for split second, instinctual fear of the unknown taking over. But then, gritting her teeth, she realized she didn't really care. So she continued to push the monster up into the bed of the truck, her breaths soon becoming an asthmatic wheeze. Finally getting all of his bulk into the truck, she slammed the gate shut and hurried around to the driver's side, while frantically digging through her pocket. Taking a moment, she took a few tokes on the inhaler. Getting her breathing under control she closed the door and sped away as fast as she could go without tossing the creature around in the back of the truck.

XXX

When she pulled up to her small childhood house, she didn't bother to park in the driveway. Instead she pulled the truck around to the back. Stopping only for a minute she jumped out of the truck and ran into the tiny barn that had used to house a few farm animals. She flipped the switch and the place was lit up with light. She ran around, trying to gather things up to help care for the creature still in the back of her truck.

She hurried to the bail of old straw, and started to heave it into a single stall but stopped once she got a whiff of the dried grass. It smelled too old and moldy, which simply would not do. Spinning on her heel, she turned and marched back up to her house, pausing long enough to look at the monster in the bed of her truck before hurrying on to the back door of the house. Unlocking the door, she flipped the switch and was greeted by a happy bark.

"Not now Bread," she mumbled to the half Corgi, half Jack Russell that danced around her feet. The first aid kit that she used to treat her own pets was in the kitchen. She dragged out the large, white metal box and only took the time to wash her hands and grab some soft clean blankets from the laundry room that was off from the kitchen. Slipping out the door, leaving it open but the screen door closed, she hurried back the short distance to the barn, calling back over her shoulder when she heard the whines of her dog.

"Be good now, and stay."

Her fatigue beginning to catch up to her, she went back into the barn, dropped the box and quickly spread out the blankets on the clean dirt in the stall. Then, leaving the stall door wide open, she hurried back to the truck and backed it up into the barn, maneuvering the vehicle around until she was able to back it up right into the stall. Turning the truck off, she got out and climbed into the back of the truck with the creature. Looking down at it, she noticed she had to hurry. The giant lizard monster was turning a pale lilac color. Trying to be careful with its head, she slid the creature out of the truck and into the pile of blankets. It slid almost bonelessly. Still holding the large flat head, Danielle slid out of the truck too, though not as gracefully. She slipped and came down hard on the lowered tailgate, hitting her rump hard.

Groaning in pain, she tried to ignore her throbbing rear as she finally got the pale purple lizard onto the blankets. She pulled out the bottles of room-temperature water she had pocketed, thankful for the deep pockets on her work uniform. Sitting down and having no choice but to play dangerous again, she pulled the head into her lap and reached out, dragging the first aid kit closer. She pulled out some thread that she had seen but never used. A glance told her that its skin was thicker than the soft skin of most animals. Bringing out the black thread, she quickly sanitized it and left it soaking in alcohol as she began to clean the head wound. Wiping off the dried blood caused it to bleed again. There was a long, deep gash on the right side that ran from just beside the raised eyes down to the edge of its wide mouth. Dipping her clean fingers around the wound to lift the flesh and clean the dirt out, she was saddened to see that, although the gash was down to the bone of the skull, the bone was cracked, but not crushed, thankfully, so there was no brain matter showing. If that were the case, her shotgun in the house would have been the only way to help him.

She had already known that taking it in would be the worst thing she could have done. The eight limbs had told her that. As she cleaned the wound, the creature squirmed but didn't wake up. She was glad he was still moving, much less breathing. Done cleaning the wound, she picked up the needle and began to stitch the flesh back together. It took her twenty minutes to stitch the long gash. When that was finished, she gently turned the head and took care of the other small gashes.

After she finished stitching his head basically back together, she wrapped white bandages around his head, having some difficulty because of his odd flat head. She managed, though, and stood up, gently laying his head down. She then looked over the rest of his body. Other than a broken leg on his third set of limbs on the left side, the rest of his body was unharmed. She found some dowsing rods that she had in the barn and made rather secure spilt. If he lived through the next few days, and hopefully wasn't too aggressive, she'd get some more Ace bandages to support it better. As she finished wrapping the thin leg, she noticed that, besides the visible injuries, he was also borderline malnourished and much too thin for his size, which she guessed was around twelve feet. No lizard on earth was that long except the Komodo dragon and they grow to nine feet at most, but he sure wasn't a Komodo. Finished with all that she could do, she picked up the supplies, placed them in the back of the truck, and took the time to sit and rest. As she sat on the tailgate of the truck, she watched the lizard creature. Occasionally he thrashed and curled around but other than that he was still. She couldn't help but marvel at his coloring and the pattern on his scales as well. He was a pale lilac color like his belly, but she suspected that he was actually darker when he was healthy. The main part of his tail was a slightly off color of light blue. He had greenish teal stripes down his neck and back, ending at his tail tip. But the oddest feature was the three smooth, scaleless, frond-like antennas that had pinkish tips.

Feeling a yawn coming on, she looked down at her watch. Past three in the morning. She was normally in bed by this time. Sighing, she dragged her tired sorry self off the truck's tail gate and closed it. She walked around, climbed back up into the cab and pulled the truck out of the barn slightly before shutting it off. Climbing out, she checked one last time on the strange lizard in her barn, she closed the stall door and walked out of the barn, cutting the power and closing the double doors. As she walked back to her house, her feet dragging every step of the way, she felt pride at that fact she had tried to help a living thing and that her decision to become a vet was paying off.

She only prayed that it would pull though.


	2. Chapter 2

**Declaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Ok so now I'm writing fan fiction about Randall Boggs. Come on. I don't have a life so to speak, what else am I going to do with my time? I want to thank my wonderful beta Luna Rei for all her help!**

**Thank you!**

**Chapter 2**

xxxxxxxxxxx

Danielle opened her eyes and stared up at the white ceiling in her bedroom. She groaned, feeling like she needed toothpicks to keep her eyes open. She rolled over and looked at the digital clock. She had only gotten four hours of sleep. "Why do I have to get up?" She whined to herself, but, as she moved, the smell of dried blood whiffed up to her nose. She sat up fast. Oh. Quickly she climbed out of bed, earning herself several whining and meowing protests. Bread was sleeping at the foot of the bed on her back, displaying her white belly for the world to see. Her cat was sleeping by her head, but the large, long-haired, butter-yellow Maine Coon stood and curled up in the warm spot his owner had recently vacated. Danielle shook her head at the pair in bemusement before walking out of the bedroom, through the living room, and to the kitchen, stopping long enough to start a pot of coffee and pull on her boots to make it easier to walk across the soggy ground. Heading out the back screen door, she made her way to the barn.

Praying that the monster had made it through the night, she flipped the switch and walked up to the stall, peering over the door at it. It was still out. She slipped in and ran her hands over the back of the giant lizard. It was breathing better and had turned a darker color. Even better, it was moving around as if it was dreaming. Standing, she nodded once and went back out again, shutting the lights off and closing the doors. As she got closer to the house, she saw that her animals were up. Butter, her cat, was sitting on the washer, staring at her with copper colored eyes. He was waiting for his daily can of cat food before he headed out to explore swamp for the day, while Bread sat and continuously whined at her feet. "Ok, ok," Danielle muttered as she began her morning ritual. Once everyone was fed and the cat had slunk off and the dog was running around in the fenced-in front yard, Danielle dragged herself to the bathroom. Last night she had come right in and gone straight to bed, without bothering to take her clothes off.

In hindsight, it hadn't been her brightest move.

Taking her coffee into the bathroom, she turned on the light. She blinked at her reflection. She looked horrible. Her short hair was a mess, the dark blue bags under her eyes sagged and she stank. On top of that, her clothes were filthy. She turned on the shower and yanked off her blood stained clothes.

After quickly washing her very greasy hair, she climbed out of the shower, toweled herself off and went into her bedroom to find fresh clothes. Settling on an old blue t-shirt and a pair of brown shorts, she ran a brush through her wet hair and finished off her coffee. She began to pull random books from her study, simultaneously carrying the books and balancing her empty coffee cup. She dropped the books that ranged from "Emergency First Aid Made Easy," and "Biology Vol. 7 - Lizards of the World," along with some old school text books the she had covered in her first year of college, on the kitchen table. Refilling her mug, she sat back down and munched on a bagel as she opened one of the thick books that she had gathered titled "Head Injuries." This one was open to the chapter on concussions.

As she finished the first page, she felt a premonition. Somehow, she knew in her gut that something was wrong. Slowly she raised her head and waited. Sure enough, two seconds later, a shrill scream pierced her ears, sending chills down her spine. She jumped up and was out the door in seconds. She stopped once outside, uncertain where to go, and waited a second. Another scream reverberated through the air, and, soon, Bread joining in, howling with whoever was making the racket. Her head whipped to the barn. It was coming from there. The stupid LaGide boy couldn't have been sneaking around. He was usually out hunting with his uncle this time of day. Even so…she began to hurry toward the barn. The kid could've snuck in as he had before and found the lizard. It could've woken up and latched its teeth on a hand or leg.

Throwing open the barn doors, she was greeted to the sound of thrashing. Running over to the stall, she peered in. The lizard was thrashing around on the ground and banging into the wood. Danielle's eyes widened. Even hurt, malnourished, and overly thin, the creature had strength. She winced as it slammed into the wood again, splintering it. She needed to try to calm it, but she was not going in there. She had already pressed her luck with it several times before. Taking a deep breath, she began to talk to it. "Shush...easy big guy...I'm not going to hurt you...it's alright" she said calmly, trying to sound as reassuring as possible.

What happened next no one could have prepared her for. The lizard rose until it stood on four of its legs and whipped its body around to face her. Large eyes were open, but narrowed to slits. It lowered its head aggressively and hissed lowly and dangerously in its throat. "I'm going to KILL you, Sullivan!"

Danielle only had time to register the fact that _it could talk_ before it lowered its head and tried to leap over the stall door. However, having only just awoken, it was still woozy and crashed through it instead. It made its way straight for her, its wide mouth full of razor-sharp teeth, open in a menacing snarl.

Xxxx

It was going fine.

Everything according to plan.

He had just finished the Scream Extractor prototype. All he had to do was test it out on one of his kids (hope that it doesn't kill said kid) and, with any luck, gain something that he had wanted his whole life, something he even desired more than power or money: respect. Respect and admiration that would last for generations to come. To see the looks on the faces of all the monsters. That the reptilian "creep" from the wrong side of the tracks had helped all of Monstropolis.

At least, that was what Waternoose had told him, knowing that the racial slurs and outdating that he had to endure his whole life had hurt him more than anyone knew. Two years he'd been the top scarer at Monsters, Inc, a company that employs monsters to go into the human world, scare children and extract power for the city from their screams. For once he could use his reptilian looks to scare a race that was already scared of reptiles, allowing him to hold on to some of the highest scores in the history of the company. That was until an eight foot, blue and purple furred monster, one that he had known since high school, had been hired. The too sweet-tempered lug rose fast in the numbers until they passed him own. His natural competitiveness overtook him and he pushed himself harder, but no matter what he did, no matter how hard he tried, he always stayed just behind. It wouldn't have bothered him too much, if it hadn't been for his rivals egocentric friend and assistant, Michael Wazowski. The boasts, the smirks and put downs had him soon grinding his teeth every time he saw the little round, green, one-eyed cretin. It soon seemed to him that even Sullivan, the fur rug, had begun to boast in his own way.

Finally came the night that Henry Waternoose approached him. There was a scream shortage, and he had an idea that would help the entire city. It was then that things were set in motion and he spent two long years breaking his back and losing his health, all for it to backfire in his face. But when it was all over, Sullivan had won.

And he had lost.

Like he always did.

The closet door was opened, and two strong arms threw him in. He rolled and hit another door. Jumping up he had spun around to run back to the door. He threw it open, but all he saw was a messy human's closet. Realization struck.

Banished.

He, Randall Boggs.

Banished.

Snarling, but with tears in his eyes, he had spun around recklessly and thrown open the door he'd rolled into. Walking out, he realized his mistake. A human stared wide-eyed at him.

The kid suddenly spoke, a heavy southern twang apparent in his voice, "Mama, another gator's got in the house!"

For a minute he had looked around, wondering what they were talking about. His graceful neck swung back around and caught sight of a leathery looking older women appearing from the camper's kitchen.

"Another gator? Give me that shovel!" She collected the horrible digging tool from the boy, a grin of sick knowing on his face. She stepped toward him and he had no time to disappear as she swung at him. "COME HERE!"

The metal landed squarely on his head, the sharp side of the dirty shovel digging into the thin flesh, leaving behind a deep gash. He let out a pained scream, but she continued to swing back and forth, time and time again, bringing the shovel down flat on his head, then under his jaw. Four times she bashed his head, the first few of his shrieks of pain getting louder then softer as his already weak body weakened even more. He fell to the stinking floor as the woman brought down the shovel again, this time on his leg, breaking it. Lying on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably in despair, fear, and pain, he wished that he would die already. He barely heard the boy ask if they were going to skin him and have him for dinner.

They were going to eat him? The disgust had him shuddering and then emptying what little food he had had time to eat that day onto the floor. The woman stood over him and kicked him. The sharp boot caught him in the ribs, and, as he hissed in pain, more tears flowed from his eyes.

"Na, I don't 'ike the look of 'im. Too skinny and too purple. Too many legs. Probably poisoned, neva mind, it looks too gamey."

It was then his wish for blackness was granted. He vaguely heard the human tell her son to dump him off down the road, that the tree hugger girl could deal with the sorry carcass. He felt as his tail was grabbed, and then he was being dragged around out the home and down the stairs, each bump jarring his head. He felt himself thrown and land on hard metal. He remained pliant. He was too weak to care. He must have blacked out, but he woke back up when he hit hard ground. Yet, again, he blacked out, losing track of time. He was almost jarred awake when a hot hand touched his head. He winced away from the touch and passed out, this time into complete blackness.

Now, as he floated in a void of unconsciousness, He had no idea how much time passed in this manner, before images came to mind. 

_He was hanging upside down and he saw that he was completely skinned, though somehow still alive. He looked at his arms and legs and saw red muscles and tendons showing. Whipping his head around, he saw that he was surrounded by the two humans. They had plates full of red chunks of his flesh. Three other figures came into view, and instantly he recognized them. Wazowski and Sullivan! He began to beg them again, for the second time in his life. He begged them to help him, kill him, something! But all they did was stand there until Sullivan stepped forward and, with red stained claws, ripped a strip of flesh away from him body. He let out a blood curdling scream and watched in disbelief as Sullivan placed the strip of bloody flesh in his lips and, sucking it into his mouth, swallowed it whole. _

_"Hey, Boo," the furred monster turned to a little girl dressed in a monster costume, "You hungry? You want something to eat?" _

_The little human child jumped up and down, squealing. _

_Sullivan turned back to him, took a hold of the three fronds on his head and, with a great pull, tore them off, handing them to the child. The girl took them and immediately began to chew on them. He let out another shriek._

Suddenly it changed, and he was whole again, no longer tied down. The sound of banging had him turning around and in his blurry vision he saw a blue figure talking to him. "Shush...easy big guy...I'm not going to hurt you...it's alright," it said. It had a different tone in the voice, but to his mind, he only heard the deep voice of his hated rival. The one that banished him.

He spun around and raised himself up until he stood. He whipped his body around, lowered it aggressively and hissed low and dangerously in his throat. "I'm going to KILL you, Sullivan!"

He attempted to leap at the blue figure, but a door blocked his way. Undeterred, he crashed through it and landed on the figure.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Ok so now I'm writing fan fiction about Randall Boggs. Come on. I don't have a life so to speak, what else am I going to do with my time? I want to thank my wonderful beta Luna Rei for all her help!**

**Thank you!**

**A side note. I want to thank all that have read and reviewed. **

**Chapter 3**

XXX

When the creature tore through the stall door, Danielle had only just registered the fact that it could talk and, in her disbelief, had managed to back up a few steps. It landed on her hard and pulled the first two sets of arms back, the claws clenched tightly into fists. The first two landed above her head as the lower set slammed into the dirt by her sides. The entire time he was snarling, lips curled in hate.

Danielle realized that he wasn't trying to fight her but someone else, someone who was much bigger and wider than she was. Knowing she had to do something before one of those fists actually hit her, she reached out and pulled the shovel that was, luckily, lying nearby. She wrapped her hand around it and brought it closer. The sound of the shovel dragging through the dirt caused the creature to freeze. Its slited eyes went to the shovel and little moans began to escape from its throat. Using this chance, Danielle slid away from it and slowly began to stand, letting the creature get a good look at the shovel in her hands. As she stood, the creature took a few steps back, the small moans becoming pitifully heartbreaking. She kept the shovel in her hands, but lowered it, watching the creature closely. His eyes - eyes that were becoming clearer - followed it. They were green, she noticed, a beautiful emerald green that flashed pain, confusion and terror.

She watched as he backed all the way up, back into the stall, and pressed his body against the splintered wood. His lower arms were wringing themselves in a helpless motion while his top arms were held up as if to keep her away. She took a cautious step toward him. His eyes snapped up, focusing fully on the shovel in her hands, and grew wider. The three fronds flared up, then flattened themselves against his skull.

"No!" There was such anguish in his voice - his voice - that she froze, staring. "Not again…leave me alone!"

Danielle continued to stare, dumbfounded. "You can speak. I didn't imagine it. You're not an animal." Licking her lips nervously, she debated whether or not to keep the shovel, but she knew if she did, she'd never get anywhere with him. He wasn't an animal she could calm with nonsense syllables, but an intelligent being that, hopefully, could fully understand her. Taking a few deep wheezing breaths, silently willing her asthma away, she made her decision.

Catching his gaze, she spoke softly to him. "You must promise," she said. "You must promise that, if I put this shovel down," she saw him wince at the word 'shovel,' "You will not attack me again."

Eyes becoming clear and more aware by the second, he looked from her face to the shovel, as if debating. Finally, slowly, as if movement was painful, which, all things considered, it probably was, he nodded.

Taking another much needed breath, she tossed the shovel away. In a blur, the creature was upon her. It moved so fast that she barely had time to blink. The fronds were standing straight up as it stood in front of her staring at her. Its mouth was open in a snarl as its hot breath hit her face. All she could do was stand there staring back in its eyes, too afraid to move.

The exchange was intense and profound. Suddenly it collapsed, panting on the ground, trying to gather the energy to stand up.

Danielle stepped back and then kneeled. If it was as intelligent as she was beginning to think it was, she'd try reasoning with it. "I'm not going to hurt you," she said softly.

The head swung toward her and its eyes narrowed, but he didn't say a word.

At first Danielle was confused as to why it didn't speak again, but then it dawned on her: It was trying to play dumb, as if it knew the dangers of being an unknown, talking creature. Intelligent indeed. "Look here," she tried softly, "I know you can talk. I heard you. Now, you are badly injured, and I would like to help you. If you stop acting like a dumb animal, which I know you aren't, I can help treat you better and even get you moved out of this barn." She winced slightly, her words sounding a little harsh to her own ears, but she had to get the ground set and everyone more relaxed.

The creature pulled his legs up under him, attempting to move his broken one. He winced and looked down at the splinted leg, then back at her. Heaving a sigh, he nodded. "Yes. I can talk."

Finally glad that that milestone was over, Danielle sighed. "Ok. Good. Now I suppose you have a name?"

Again he paused. "Randall. Randall Boggs."

"I'm Danielle DeMarsh." She stood and Randall watched her warily. She had to get him off the ground. It wasn't cold but he was still too injured and, with all of his shuffling around, dirt had more than likely gotten into his wounds. They would need cleaning again. Now that she knew he was an intelligent being, she couldn't very well leave him in the barn. But…that would mean moving him to her house, which was easier said than done. "Ok then. Let's get you up and into the house."

He stopped fidgeting in the dirt and looked up at her. "What?"

"I'm going to move you into the house," she repeated slowly, wondering if she'd said something he couldn't understand. "Unless you want to stay out here in the barn?" Danielle added, her hands on her wide hips.

Randall looked around and shook his head. He seemed to brighten up at the prospect of leaving.

Taking this as a positive sign, Danielle went over to him cautiously and knelt down. "Do you think you can walk now?" she asked softly. "I know that your leg is broken but you do seem to have….uhm…three others?"

"I can walk." A slight attitude crept into his voice. At that he stood up, balancing on three of his legs easily, though he swayed a bit, somewhat off balance.

Danielle noticed this and moved forward, noticing as she did so that he was only an inch or two shorter then her. He saw this and flinched away. Stepping back, she gave him a bit of space. She knew he was fine standing, but, if he went to walk after his sudden burst of energy, he would fall. The head wounds weren't helping his balance either.

"Let me help you," Danielle offered.

This time, more attitude crept into his face and voice. He curled his lip at her in disgust and narrowed his eyes. "I don't need help!" He tried to walk. Right away, he stumbled, landing on his broken leg that he had held up. His angry face turned into a mask of pain. He twisted, doing a strange dance like twist and fell heavily into the barn's wall. The purple coloring he had before changed to a deep olive green as he began to dry heave.

Danielle took a moment to blink at the sudden and unexpected color change, and then shook it off, deciding to muse over it later. Sighing impatiently, but with sympathy, she reached out to grasp his arm and he held up his hands in defense, pushing her away as if he expected her to attack him. His purple coloring returned as he scrambled back to his feet, leaning heavily on the side of the barn. His breath came in short, panting gasps that hissed through his teeth.

Danielle rushed forward, catching him as he fell. He flinched violently at her touch, but she didn't let go.

"What are you doing?" he demanded, but she continued to hold him. Now that he wasn't completely dead weight, she could hold him better.

"I have to get out of here," he said, sounding a bit hysteric. "I have to get to a closet and get back. And I need you to stop touching me human." The last bit was growled out, but Danielle felt it was just for show. For one thing, he wasn't even fighting her, though his flesh seemed to twitch under her touch.

Danielle shook her head. "Do you really think you can get away from here on your own? Randall, you are very much hurt. You have a broken leg and your head…well it's not good. You've got to let me help you. Will you come with me? I'll help you to the house. Then I'll let you go. I'll be able to clean those wounds and you can sleep."

"How…can I…trust you?" He swung his head around and faced her, studying her carefully.

"What choice do you have?"

Randall shuddered and then a heavy sigh racked his body. Finally he nodded, making up his mind. "Ok."

"The house isn't far from the barn. I'll help you to the back door, then we'll go from there." Danielle looked him over critically. "You can barely stand, so hold on."

"Wait, what?"

Danielle didn't answer him but only shifted and wrapped her right arm around his upper middle just under his first set of arms and above his second set. She felt him stiffen, so she waited until he relaxed enough to continue. "Good? Ok, let's move," she crooned and began to move forward. He began to fight her slightly. "Come on. Lean on me," she instructed.

The way he shuddered against her told her how frightened he still was. He seemed reluctant to let her help him, half pulling away as he struggled to walk straight.

"Come on," she hissed, her own breaths becoming labored after his third attempt to pull away. "I'll let you go as soon as we're in the house. You can hold onto things once we're there."

They made it past the barn doors and his eyes darted around the yard as they stepped out into the dim morning light. It was going to be hazy and humid today she noted. Thankfully, the house wasn't far from the barn. He wasn't that heavy but he moved stiffly, as if he disliked her touch. They paused at the door. There were only two steps, thankfully. He pulled away, but, as he stood on his own without swaying too much, she allowed it. They rested for a moment while she wiped sweat from her forehead. Pulling the inhaler out of her pocket, she breathed deep, her lungs aching. When she was done, she glanced at Randall and was surprised to see sweat on him too. He was panting a little and raised a three fingered hand to wipe at his own head. He winced in pain as they brushed the long sewn gash. He moved his hand to the fronds that were drooping and wiped the sweat from them instead. He glanced at her, noticing her watching him with a slight shocked look on her face.

"What?" he asked defensively.

"You're sweating." Danielle grimaced at how stupid that sounded coming out of her mouth.

Apparently, he thought so too, for a mean, sarcastic glint came into his green eyes and the corner of his mouth turned up in a slight smirk. "Of course. It's hot. You're sweating as well."

"It's just…never mind." She shook herself and slipped around him to open the door. Walking in, she turned back and waited for Randall to step up into the house. He did so, reaching out with his hands and holding onto the white countertops as he slowly moved into the house. Right away, his eyes swiped over the layout of the house as if he was searching for something. The screen door suddenly slammed behind him. His eyes widened in fear as he darted forward and crashed into Danielle, pushing her. She fell back into the doorway's corner. She let out a small cry of pain as she was thrown back against the sharp corner of the wooden door frame.

As he stepped back from her, trying to steady himself, Danielle discovered that Randall's entire body was patterned like her clothes. Blue on his torso and brown on his lower body. He even had the same pattern as the clothes. Again she stared wide eyed at him, wondering if chameleon-like abilities were normal for him or if this was some symptom caused by his injuries, which she had no idea how to treat. As Danielle stood back up and rubbed her back, he looked at her face then down at himself. He let out an annoyed groan and quickly turned back to his dark purple color. "Man, I hate when that happens," he mumbled to himself.

"That's common then?" Danielle asked, relieved by his lack of surprise.

Not even glancing at her, he nodded, groaning at the pain of the movement. "Yes." He didn't offer any more, so she left it at that. Danielle stood there for a moment before she took in his appearance again. The wounds around his head were swollen and oozing a bit. The coloring was also a darker purple, which she guessed was bruising. His body was dirty, the sweat leaving streaks in his dust covered body.

He needed a bath.

"How about a shower? You can take a shower or a bath, can't you?"

While standing still, he rolled his great green eyes over to her. "Of course, human. Can you?"

Danielle frowned at him, but let his rudeness slide. She only hoped he wasn't like this all the time. He was hurt and for now she'd overlook his rudeness. "Ok. Though, I don't know how to get you in the tub with the splint," she said as she eyed the broken leg, "Maybe if I…"

"Look here! I'm getting better on my feet. If you just point me in the direction of the bathroom, I can take it from there," he interrupted her, crossing one set of his arms and holding onto the doorframe with the other set.

"But…"

"Trust me, I won't fall," he said in dismissal.

"Fine, but I'll be nearby. Come on." Hearing him mumble something, but choosing to ignore it, she led him toward the bathroom. He did a fairly good job at walking by holding onto the walls and keeping his leg up, though he was covered with a new sheen of sweat by the time they reached the bathroom. He stepped past her and made it on his own into the tub. Danielle continued to stand there, watching in amazement as the 'lizard' she had rescued last night reached out with shaking hands and turned on the water. He had tolerated her presence in the bathroom as he had gotten into the tub, but now he turned his head to her still standing in the doorway. "Do you mind human?"

She held her hands up and backed out.

Once out of the bathroom, she set about making up the bed in her old room. When her parents had given her the house after they moved to Florida she had moved into their room, it having a private bath and a wonderful view of the swamp, with Spanish moss covering the trees. She had turned her older sister's room into a study and her childhood room she had left alone. The only thing new in the room was the twin bed. She placed some ivory colored fitted sheets and flats sheets on the bed and tossed a chocolate brown comforter on the bed. She went back to the kitchen and pulled out the first aid kit before walking back to the bathroom. The shower had stopped running and she wanted to clean his wounds before they did any more damage. It wouldn't do if they got infected.

After five minutes of no sound, she got worried and knocked on the door. No answer. She knocked again. "Randall. Randall…Boggs?" she called. Still nothing. She pushed the door open.

He was standing in front of the mirror, staring at himself. The towel was in his upper hands and the lower limbs were slack. For some reason the sight of this 5 foot 4 purple/lilac colored eight limbed talking intelligent lizard staring at himself brought tears to her eyes. He looked so depressed and so lost.

Finally noticing her, his look hardened and became aloof again. "What?" his aggressiveness was back too.

"Nothing, though you look tired. Let's get these wounds cleaned and then get you to bed." She walked into the bathroom and took the towel from his hands and gently guided him to the toilet. After instructing him to sit and, after some maneuvering on his part, he was soon resting on the toilet. He surprisingly didn't fight her, most likely too busy fighting down nausea and dizziness. It was too much too fast. Danielle finished drying his torso and back with the towel. She stepped back, as a quick glance at him told her that she would have to hurry. He was getting even more exhausted by the minute. She set the first aid kit up on the sink and opened it. Then she turned to his head, which was hanging in exhaustion. He was silent too, almost as if he was lost in his own world. She gently lifted his head with her left hand, causing him to wince at the contact. She looked at the gash that she had stitched together and cursed when she saw pus oozing out of the gash. It was dripping with infection and dirt. It wasn't because of her inability to clean it. Whatever had given him this gash had been really dirty.

She began to scrub it as gently as she could while still trying to clean it thoroughly. She winced when he hissed in pain. She had stitched it up good, so she wasn't worried about the stitches; it was what was under the stitching. Pus poured out through the stitches until it ran red. She then cleaned up the blood and put an antibiotic cream on the long gash. As she began to treat the other, lesser cuts, she noticed he was watching her the entire time. The big green eyes were nonaggressive, unreadable.

"So I take it that you got tangled up with the LaGide family?" she asked.

"The LaGide family? I don't know them, but the ones that did this...there was an old human female. She hit me with a," here he paused and swallowed, "A shovel. There was a boy, he drug me out of the house and dumped me out there like garbage. LIKE GARBAGE!" his voice rose, but he didn't move, too exhausted to do so.

"A shovel? Yep, it was the LaGide family. They're known to do that. They are forever dumping dead animals in my yard or shoving them in the mailbox. No wonder this is already infected. That shovel of theirs probably hasn't been cleaned since the day they bought it." Danielle finished her cleaning and rewrapped his head.

She then turned to his leg. Kneeling down and looking over the splint, she was glad to see that he had kept it dry. She wrapped another set of ace bandages around it and looked back up. She started slightly when she saw him looking down at her. She cursed herself for being so jumpy, but she had to admit that, while his eyes were beautiful, they were also creepy. A slow, tired grin crossed his face when he saw that he had startled her. The sharp teeth came into view, splitting his face into an even creepier look.

She stood back up. "Ok, let's get you to bed." She reached for him.

The smile vanished and he waved her off. "I can do it, human."

"At least let me show you where you can lie down," Danielle said, slightly exasperated.

He slowly followed her to another room. As she led him in she saw a look of excitement cross his face as he looked around at what appeared to be a little girl's room. Looking around threw him off balance and Danielle caught him before he could fall again. "That does it. Come on," she said, guiding him to the bed.

Danielle pushed him gently toward the bed and he allowed it. He gratefully crawled up into the bed and stretched his entire 12 foot frame out and sighed contently. Sleep was coming fast, but before he could slip into the blackness, he asked an odd question.

"Do you have any kids?"

"What?" Danielle laughed lightly. "Of course not."

An exasperated groan followed. "Any younger siblings? Hell, any human child living here?"

"No. Why do you ask…oh…the room? This was my old childhood room. I just keep it as it was."

There was no reply, so she slipped out the door and just as she left, she turned and looked at Randall. He was staring at the closet longingly and she thought she heard a small, sad whimper.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Sorry that this is late. Hopefully updates will be sooner now. **

**Luna Rei, from had to back out. She became extremely busy and can no longer beta. **

**But I do have Alu In Chains, picking up where she left off at. So I want to now thank her. Muchas gracias!**

**Chapter 4**

XXX

Randall tossed and turned in the bed. It wasn't because it was uncomfortable; no it was because he was fretting while he was still asleep. He had too many things on his mind to sleep comfortably. At one point he woke up enough to hear with ears that seemed to be clogged the human talking to someone. It was almost enough to make him try to climb out of the bed, but as he tried to gather the energy he came to the collusion that while she may have been talking to someone, there was no one that answered. He relaxed enough to fall back into a sleep.

When he woke again he almost lurched himself out of the too short bed. He didn't know were he was and the faded pink wallpaper told him that it obviously wasn't his room. He sat straight up in the bed, feeling himself go pale from the sudden movement. He clutched at his head as his lower arms hugged his body as aches started to throb in his body.

When the room stopped spinning, but still holding his throbbing head carefully, he looked around. The light outside the window to the left of the bed was dimming into twilight; white curtains were fluttering in a breeze from the creaked window. Smells that were unknown to him hit his sensitive nose. It smelled a mixture of soggy earth, stale water and rotting plants. It was almost unpleasant but not quite. There was an under lay of the heady scent of fresh air. But despite this the room was also stifling hot to him. It gave him a sleepy lazy feeling that he didn't like. He continued to look around noting the pink wallpaper, old pictures of animals and a shelf full of old children toys that one couldn't bare to part with. A pink ruffle was around a small dresser. Large blue ink stained the ruffle and part of the cream carpet.

He took all this in with one swept of his eyes. He only perked up when he saw a white door. It was right across form him and was clearly the closet. He started to get up to make his way to the door but then paused. The look of the room told him that if the human had had a monster to scare her, it was long ago. The door would have long since been shredded. His shoulders dropped at that thought.

His eyes went back to the closet. But still…. it couldn't hurt to check…just to be sure.

Carefully he eased out of the bed and holding on the bed's edge, he made his way to the door. Reaching out he wrapped his three fingers around the dull brass knob and pulled the door open. Peering inside of the tiny closet that had boxes upon boxes stacked on one another. Feeling his lip curling in a growl he almost slammed the door close before he remembered about the human female. If she heard the door slam she'd be back to fuss over him like he was some monsterling child.

Turning he found that the only thing to do was crawl back into the bed. He did this by just going to the end of the bed and shakily but gracefully crawled up the bed and buried his sore and bruised head under the pillow. He laid there on his belly trying to get his thoughts in order.

_This sure didn't work out like Waternoose had promised. If I ever get back, boy am I going too… _his thoughts faded from that. He didn't want to think about what happened back in Monstropolis. No, he had to focus on the situation at hand. He remembered the dream, waking up in a human's care. He didn't partially like the idea of being seen, much less cared for by a human, though he knew he had no choice at the moment. He didn't know where in the human world he was, he didn't know the lay out of the land. He did know however that he was pretty busted up. He had seen his head in the bathroom. It looked like those idiot humans had tried to split his head down the middle. Plus the broken leg hindered his speed. He was stuck here with this human with no way to get home at the moment. But he could be a patient monster when he wanted to be.

As he laid there resting he listened to the noise of the house. He could hear the faint sound of the human moving around in her house and the even fainter sound of nails clicking on tile. _She must have a pet then,_ he thought absentmindly. The sound of water running reminded him of how thirsty he was. He knew humans and their things weren't toxic. It all had been a lie created by the past CEO's of Monsters, Inc. When Waternoose had approached him about the idea of the Scream Extractor, he had entrusted him with that highly guarded secret. At first he didn't believe Waternoose. Not until he had actually thought upon it. It did seem rather ridiculous to him that human children were toxic. They were forever touching things that the children had, floor and doorknobs mainly. If the children were toxic then all the scarers would be dead from merely walking on the carpet and opening closet doors.

He heard the water being shut off which brought him back to his current situation. He was still thirsty but he didn't know how his stomach would handle liquid or food from the human world. His long dark bluish purple tongue rolled around in his dry mouth but this seemed to make it worst. He thought briefly about calling out to the human but his pride wouldn't allow it. Pride was something he relished and he had already been dealt several hard blows to his pride.

His acute hearing picked up on the sounds of footsteps outside the door. He laid motionless as he heard the sound of a door opening.

"Randall?"

She knew his name? How did she…then he remembered. He had told her it back in the barn.

"Randall?" she tried again.

"What?" he tried to growl out but it was muffled by the pillow still over his head. He pulled his head out from under the pillow and carefully laid his sore head back on it. He rolled his large eyes back over at her. She was standing in the doorway a large cup in her hands. "What?" this time he didn't growl.

"Are you thirsty?" she asked softly, something he was very grateful for.

Randall took a deep breath. "Something to drink…yes," he said.

Water was water. And the way he was feeling he could care less if it was water from the swamp as long as he got rid of the feeling of having extreme cotton

mouth.

She walked further into the room and he started to sit up. She hurried and placed the cup on the dresser and reached for him. "Slowly now."

Randall rolled his eyes and growled low in his throat. If the human heard she choose to ignore it, but thankfully she didn't touch him. She just stood there with her hands out while she waited until he maneuvered himself so that he was sitting up. She turned and picked up the glass and handed it to him.

In his eagerness he almost yanked it from her hand.

He gulped it down gratefully swallowing the water greedily, sucking in as much as he could.

"Careful. You'll get hiccups." the human warned a small smile on her face.

Randall didn't care. The water slid down his dry throat. He finally noticed that it wasn't as cold as he would have liked.

"I'm sorry that it's not that cold. I imagine you haven't eaten or drank anything in awhile. The cold water would've hit your belly like a punch to the gut. If you keep that down, I'll bring you some broth." she said as she watched him.

Randall finished the cup and looked at it. Deciding to try to be polite, he handed the glass back. "Thanks," he said. His voice sounded better now, not so raspy.

"I should've thought to give you something to drink before," she said contritely, "but you looked too sick earlier."

"How long have I been asleep?" He asked watching her closer. She had moved so that she was leaning up against the wall.

"All day. It's just about night now. So…you still look tired…I'm going to let you get some more sleep." she leaned away from the wall and walked toward the door.

Randall watched closely. She may have helped him but that doesn't mean he trusted her.

She paused at the door, turning back to him. "Is there anything you need?"

Randall thought for a moment, and then nodded carefully, his head still throbbing. "It's hot in here."

"I'm sorry. Then I'll just turn the AC on then. It actually cooled down after the sun went down, but I guess you aren't used to the heat then." she said this while she walked to the window and closed it. She turned and headed back to the doorway. "I'll just flip the switch and it'll get cooler in about fifteen minutes. That ok?"

"It's fine." he couldn't help notice her thick accent. It was like those two humans in the trailer, heavy with a southern twang, though she sound much more educated then those two.

With that she nodded and opened the door and left him alone in the darkness.

Xxx

Like she had said within fifteen minutes he felt the coolness in the air. He sighed in relief as the cool air blew over him. He sat in the dark and tried to find the source of the air. He finally found it coming from a vent in the ceiling and he lifted his head toward it, the air blowing down his head, almost stinging the gash through the bandages that the human had wrapped around his head. He ignored that discomfort and allowed the cool air to blow over his body.

When he was much cooler he found himself wide-awake. He couldn't move much due to the dizziness that still gripped him now and then. He stayed still in the room listening again to the sounds of the human moving around. Having a feeling she would still be up for awhile he decided to try to rest.

As he laid there though, he began to shake, now cold. Randall pulled the brown comforter up and around him. He continued to lay there waiting. He must have fell asleep at one point because when he jerked awake later on the house was dark and quiet. The AC was off but the room still was too cold for him. He sat up and without wasting a second slipped out of bed and carefully walked to the door holding his broken leg up. He opened the door and slipped out. He stopped, listening to the silence of the house. When he was sure it was quiet he slipped through the short hallway and passed a door he recognized. It led to the bathroom so he knew he was on the right track. He passed the room and decided to go left. This led him into a living room. He moved through the room not seeing the human stretched out on the couch or the large cat sitting on the human's hip. All he saw was a door that he had his eye on. He froze though when he heard a whine. He looked around until the whine happened again. He located it and looked down. A medium sized light tan and white dog was sitting at his feet. It was staring up at him with one big brown eye and one big light blue eye. The dog wagged its short tail and whined again.

Randall made a face and waved his hands at it. "Shoo. Shoo. Go on." he whispered to the dog. "Go drink out of a toilet or something."

All the dog did was sit and stare at him.

He groaned in exasperation. "What!" he asked in an almost shrill whisper. Again came a whine. "Look does-does it look like I have any food?"

He tried to walk forward again only this time there came a rather loud meow.

Randall froze, all tensed up. He slowly turned his head and almost groaned in despair. The human was asleep on cream-colored couch, a side lamp still on. In his hurry to leave he had failed to notice the prone human in the room. She was laying on her side, a black laptop glowing on the coffee table and a huge stack of books on the floor. She had clearly fallen asleep while reading. A large yellow longhaired cat had made her hip a perching spot and was now staring at Randall with large eyes.

He put a finger to his lips. "Shh," he tried. Again he moved forward and not noticing the dog still under his feet, stepped on it.

The next thing that happened could only be described as a domino effect. The dog let out a barking yelp, which startled both the cat and Randall. He jumped back; landing on his broken leg crying out at the same time the cat screeched and dug claws into the human's hip, which caused her wake suddenly. She jerked out of her sleep and rolled off the couch, the book that was laying beside her sliding off and landing on her head.

"Ow! What on earth…?" she sat up and peered over the top of the coffee table.

Randall fallen as well and he was sitting up just as she was. They met each other eyes as they looked over the coffee table at each other.

She spoke first. "Randall? What are you doing up?"

He only stared at her. She was very mussed, short hair was sticking up everywhere and glasses were half hanging off of her face. For some reason it struck him very funny and he burst out laughing. It wasn't a joyful laugh but a stressful laugh that bordered on the edge of lunacy. He could see the human wince and heard the dog whine then give a low growl, but couldn't stop. He laughed and laughed until tears poured out of his eyes. Still he didn't stop as he rolled his streaming eyes up at the ceiling.

Faintly he heard someone calling his name. "Randall! Randall! Randall Boggs if you don't stop I'll dose you with cold water!"

He felt his throat getting sore and raspy, but he didn't stop. Not until he felt cold water hit him in the face. He gasped with the shock of cold. He sat there in a tangle of limbs with cold water dripping from his face down to his chest. Randall sat there still in shock until he felt a soft cloth on his face. He blinked his eyes becoming focused on the human's face. She was kneeled in front of him, drying his face.

Her face was hardened in disapproval but her eyes were soft and full of pity.

Pity.

He didn't want pity. Pulling away he took the cloth from her and finished drying his face.

She rocked back on her heels and regarded him. "Are you done now?" she asked.

Randall took a deep breath; his ribs were aching from his outburst. Slowly he nodded.

A relived look crossed her face. "Good. Now what was you doing?"

"I… I don't belong here. Here in the…."he looked around at the room growing disoriented, sick. "I just don't belong. I have to get away from here."

"Randall, I'm not going to do anything to cause you harm," she seemed to try assure him. "We're miles from a city or even a town. The LaGide family probably thinks you're dead, so they won't look for you. You are safe here. Just relax and I'll take care of you."

Randall didn't hear most of this, as he was too busy shaking. Suddenly his illness that had been threatening his fading health decided at that moment to rear its ugly head. He began to sneeze heavily soon fading in body racking coughs. He tried to wheeze in air and dimly became aware of a hand stroking his back. His flesh twitched but he didn't pull away. The heavy stroking on his upper back helped his coughing. Finally when he was done he could only just lay on the soft carpet.

"Oh Randall." the human sighed. "Well, let's get you up and back to bed."

He felt hands on his arms and lift him up. He wanted to struggle away, still disliking her touch for the most part but he felt so tired that he didn't care. He felt her maneuver him around and he tried to help but barely could move his limbs. She finally got him in a position that she apparently liked and began to walk forward with him. He was aware of his legs automatically supporting some of his weight. His legs felt like molten lead as he tried to pick them up his broken leg just dragged behind him.

His head was pressed against something warm though deeps breaths were drawn in with a wheezing and rattled before it was forced out with more wheezing.

Finally he felt a softness and he pulled away from the wheezing and laid down. He was almost passed out when he heard a voice. "Randall, you're a mess."

He felt his lips curl in a weak ironic smirk. "I know." he whispered back before he slipped back into the darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Sorry that this is late. Hopefully updates will be sooner now. **

**Luna Rei, from had to back out. She became extremely busy and can no longer beta. **

**But I do have Alu In Chains, picking up where she left off at. So I want to now thank her. Muchas gracias!**

**Also, this here is a very long chapter. Sorry there isn't much action from Randall, but Danielle had to take care of a few things. Also the connection in names…Boggs and DeMarsh….it was not intended I wasn't even paying attention. **

**Chapter 5**

XXX

Danielle sighed as she stared down at the purple lizard. He was asleep but with the way his body temperature was rising, he was starting to run a high fever by human standards. But as she looked at him, stretched out on the small bed, he looked too reptilian. 

_Reptiles don't run fevers, _she thought as she ran a hand through her unruly hair. She groaned in frustration. She'll have to think about that later. Soon but not right now. Picking the brown comforter up that had slid off of the bed, she spread it over Randall as gently as she could to keep from waking him. She flicked on the little lamp that was sitting on the dresser, not wanting to disturb him anymore then necessary. She leaned over his head, gently brushed the limp fronds aside and leaned down to his head and gently pulled the damp bandages back. They were oozing again, the puckered purple flesh starting to turn red. An odor was also starting to come from it. She pulled the rest of the bandages off and flicked the light off. Walking out of the room she waited until she had closed the door before she let out a angry growl.

_Those…bastards! _She thought. The wound was getting worse despite the cleanings she had done. She walked to the kitchen now wide-awake. Throwing the bandages away she drug out the first aid kit again. She needed to open some of those stitches and she couldn't wait until he woke up again. He seemed to also have a viral infection on top of this infection. She picked up the kit and grabbed a bowl of hot water and some clean washcloths and a large towel. Turning, she marched straight back to the room. This time she did turn the light on. She saw Randall flinch but he didn't wake up, continuing to sleep on his belly. She set to work organizing several things on the dresser. Then going to the closet she opened the door and pulled out a small collapsible bedside table and pulled it over to the side of the bed. Setting it up, she placed a few of the items on the table.

Danielle then gently lifted his head and holding his large head in one hand she spread the large towel over the pillow and laid his head back on the pillow. After a quick run to the bathroom to scrub her hands, Danielle came back and gently sat on the side of the bed and pulled the pillow, towel and his head into her lap again. She began to clean the gash flinching when he whimpered. Still, his eyes remained closed and when the outer surface was as clean as it was going to get she picked up the tiny sharp scissors. She paused and looked again at the gash. Angry red purple radiated along his head. Clearly an infection was forming in the wounds.

Randall's large eyes were closed tightly and he lips curled over his teeth in flinches of pain and fever. His body was now hot to the touch that made her wonder even more. She waited a moment as his long tail thumped and curled, finally stilling. Danielle then brought the scissors down and carefully snipped a few of the threads, until the gash opened. The moment the thread was gone the flesh peeled back and greenish yellow pus poured out. Danielle began to flush the wound with warm water from a large needle less syringe until it began to run red then clear, finally stopping altogether. She cleaned around the half opened wound and re-wrapped clean bandages around the wound. Now that he was out of the barn there was no way to get dirt and other nasties in the wound. She pulled the wet towel out from under his head and gently placed his head back on the pillow and back on the bed. She stood and gently touched his head. Sweat stood out in clear droplets, covering his brow with sheen of glistening wetness. His arm came up to shoo her hand away but Danielle caught his wrist, pushed his arm down. She laid her hand firmly over his, squeezing his wrist reassuringly.

"It's ok, Randall. Just rest," she said softly. _He's feverish,_ she thought. As she began to wipe a cool clean cloth across his forehead he began to shiver as if he were freezing, though heat rolled off him in waves. He moaned softly, writhing in his sleep. She gently brushed her fingers behind his almost chameleon like protuberant eyes.

She gently sponged his too-hot skin, dabbing the skin at his long thin neck, where the blood vessels were closest to the surface. He began to squirm. Danielle touched his cheek gently.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. The despair and let down in his voice tore at her heart. "I'm so sorry…"

Not knowing what to truly do to calm him she began to hum an old lullaby that her mother used to sing to her and her sister. She would slip into her naive Cajun that she tried so hard to hide. She wasn't sure he could hear or understand her but he seemed to orient on the sound of her voice, as if he could hear her, somewhere beyond the tormented fever-dreams. Randall's eyes flickered a few times, as if he would look back at her but they closed again quickly.

"You're safe Randall," she whispered, sponging his face again. His twitching slowly eased and he relaxed again, subsiding into a deeper sleep.

_I can't leave him alone in this state,_ she thought. _But I got to get some rest so I can be ready to go to the zoo_. Slowly standing she leaned forward, laying her cheek against his back. His slow, steady breathing was comforting though there was a small rattle from an oncoming cough. She folded up the small wooden table and leaned it against the wall a quietly gathered up the dirty rags and medical supplies and slipped out the door shutting the light off. She drug herself to the kitchen and tossed the towels and rags in the washer and slapped a post note on the white appliance to remind her to wash them later. Then washing her hands again she headed back to her bedroom. Her two pets were already on the bed. Both cat and dog stared at her in annoyance. She groaned at their looks, she hadn't paid much attention to them all day and they were letting her know by taking up the whole of the full size bed.

"Look guys. I'm sorry ok. But I had to do something. He's really sick and is going to be here awhile. So you two spoiled animals will have to buck up," they continued to glare at her. Danielle put her hands on her hips and glared back. "If you two want fed in the morning I suggest you stop riding my back," she threatened, though both she and the animals knew it was an empty threat. Shaking her head at them Danielle changed into the large teal t-shirt that she wore to bed and went over to the bed and slid the cat over to his side. Crawling into the bed she set the alarm for seven. She laid her head on her pillow and closed her eyes, giving into exhaustion.

Xxx

When Danielle woke a few hours later to the shrill sound of the alarm, she felt as if she had just laid her head down. Sighing she slowly climbed out of the bed and quickly pulled on a pair of jeans. She hurried to her old bedroom and slowly cracked the door open. Randall was still asleep but he had moved from laying on his belly to sleeping on his right side. Quietly padding over to him she touched his chest, shaking her head in worry at the heat that still radiated from his body though she was glad to feel his chest rising and falling steadily. As she straightened the comforter she watched as the tip of his light blue tail slid out of the bed. Reaching down she gently picked it up, the tail curling around her hand and wrist instantly. Uncurling it she pushed it back under the cover. She stepped back as he turned and mumbled something in his sleep.

Sighing with weariness, Danielle finished straightening the blanket and left the room. She made her way to the kitchen and did the morning ritual. Once the animals were fed Danielle again dragged herself to her bathroom. After a quick shower and just as she pulled her zoo's volunteer shirt out of the closet, she ran what she had to do over in her head.  
><em><br>Randall's really sick. And that infection is just going to get worse. I need to get a hold of some better antibiotics then that cream. He looks so malnourished and I bet he wasn't getting enough nutrients wherever he came from. Maybe I can get some vitamins. Where did he come from? Not the swamp. He sounds educated. Doesn't even have a southern accent. It's slightly Northern._ Danielle sat down on her bed the past day washing over her. 

_He talks! He talks and thinks. He's just like a human; only he looks like a giant lizard. A lizard._ Past stories from her childhood fleeted across her mind. Stories of the bayous own 'boogeyman' lizard men. Danielle wrinkled her nose. Even though the thought of lizard men had appealed to her when she was younger the actual stories she had never cared for. She shook heard and tried to get her thoughts back on course. _He's a lizard._ Again her thoughts strayed as she remembered him sweating yesterday morning and then later with his fever. _Reptiles don't truly run fevers. If they were sick they would need help to raise their body temperature. But his body did that on his own. Reptiles don't sweat because they don't have sweat glands and they can match their temperatures to their surroundings. If it's hot they are hot and move fast, if they are cold, they are cold and move slowly.  
><em>  
>Danielle rubbed her temples. <em>Well. I can go with it. I'll have to. A warm blooded lizard that has chameleon-like abilities and who knew what else he could do and that talks. At least that'll make some things easier. I won't have to worry too much about what type of doses to give him. He's not allergic to the antibiotic cream so the chances are that he isn't allergic to Penicillin. Where can I get some? Ahh, the feed and agricultural supply store. I'd gotten penicillin for Swamp Thing from there before. <em>Danielle glanced over at the famed picture of her when she was 10 on the back of a dark brown shaggy pony, which her humor minded father had named Swamp Thing. The pony had died of old age two years ago.

A glance at the clock had her starting to pull on the shirt. God, I wish I had more time. I need to get that penicillin. I can't just take off and leave Randall alone all day while he's sick. Too bad Thanksgiving vacation wasn't here yet…Danielle froze. She was in good standing with her professors and the zoo. Work, well she had been saving up all of those vacation days. Talk about sheer luck. Although not showing up for class, word would get back to her parents. Danielle winced at the thought of a call from them, particularly from her mother. _Well, I'll deal with that when that time comes. Right now I need to call the zoo_. Dropping the shirt, she grabbed a short-sleeved brown and pink hoodie. Pulling that over her head she walked down the hall peeking again in on Randall. He still hadn't moved so she pulled the door shut and went into the yellow and white painted kitchen and started her first pot of coffee of the day. Looking at the clock on the microwave she reached over and picked up the white wall phone. She dialed in the number to her supervisor at the L'aquarium de Louisiane at the Baton Rouge Zoo. It rang a few times before a woman's voice came on the line.

"BREC Baton Rouge Zoo L'aquarium de Louisiane…how can I help you?"

"Wanda? It's me Danielle. Yes, I'm so sorry to be calling at such short notice but I don't think I can come in today." Danielle said as she watched the coffee slowly fill the pot.

"What? Danielle…is that you? You never call in. Why now?" the woman's voice sounded shocked.

"Yeah I know. But some things have come up and I need to stay around here for a few days. I need to take care of some things." Danielle said as she silently willed the coffee to hurry up.

"Well, we got all those newbies…you was supposed to train a group of them. But I think I can call in Freddy. He isn't going away this Thanksgiving and he had been training longer then you have. So everything all right? With your family?"

Danielle groaned slightly at the woman's questions. Wanda Musgrave was a chatty woman that wanted to know everyone's business. She cursed herself for not thinking of a good lie. "It's just a personal thing Wanda."

Wanda sighed clearly not happy with the lack of information that she could gnaw on. "All right honeychile, there are only two weekends left in this month. You take them. I'll see you in December, yes?"

"Yes. I'll see you then." Danielle said as she cheered silently on both the fact that the coffee was done and that Wanda was giving her those weekends.

"Ok, take care of your self, chérie. I got to go. It's Sunday. I'm sure those little bebettes will be running amok today." With that the woman hung up and Danielle was free to pour herself a cup of coffee. Pouring a big cup and opened the breadbox to grab a lemon poppy seed muffin she carried the cup and the muffin to the living room thinking she could relax until the collage and the stores opened. When she got to the living room she had forgotten that she had left books everywhere from her late night studying. "Great," she mumbled. "Well, I'm going to finish this first." with that she sat down and quickly ate the muffin and finished the coffee.

Bread had finished snooping around in the yard and had curled up on the couch, her head on Danielle's knee, enjoying an ear scratch. She whined when Danielle moved to get back up. "Sorry Bread, but I got to get these books put up then run some errands."

It took her fifteen minutes to pick up the books and put them back where they belonged. She checked on Randall one last time. He had flipped onto his back, giving her a good chance to look at the gash on his head. The infection was still puffy and angry. She had to get that penicillin today. His skin through his dull purple scales was still hot. He was still running that fever.

She placed a cold washcloth on his head, careful not to touch the bandages. "I'll be back as soon as I can. I have to get some meds."

With one last look back she closed the door and hurried out the door, grabbing a faux leather case on a second thought. Danielle climbed into the truck and started the thing and pulled out and around the house. She hadn't bothered to drive the tuck back to the driveway since Friday night. She rounded the house and took off down the road. She sped by LaGide family's trailer home. She spared a glance at them.

The boy was shoveling trash around with a dirty shovel that more likely had been used on poor Randall. The mother was sitting on the porch in a rocker. Turning her head back to the road she couldn't help but curl her lip. 

She fidgeted the entire hour-long drive noticing it was cooling down, the earlier heat wave finally breaking. She had to stop by the college and try to talk her professors into letting her have an early Thanksgiving holiday, then had to swing by the restaurant to get Ray LaMotta, her boss, give her her vacation time. From there she had to go grocery shopping. She was fine in her own groceries but she had a very good feeling that Randall didn't eat just fruits and veggies. With those teeth, he obviously ate meat, something she didn't other than fish occasionally. He would need the protein anyway. But she had plans to put him on beef broth to start with. From there she had to go to the agricultural supply store.

XXX

"You wanted to see me Miss DeMarsh?" Grant LaEttner, the chair of the department where Danielle had her main classes. She had decided to go straight to LaEttner. He was an old family friend and though she hated to use that fact she figured that he could pull some strings and she could get out of classes earlier. He led her into his office and shut the door.

Danielle moved the center of the room. She watched as the tall elderly man went back to his desk and sat down.

"So, what did you need to see me for? You don't have classes until Tuesday." he picked up a mug of coffee and took a drink.

"I know that this is asking a lot and one such late notice, but I…need to take a early holiday." Danielle watched, as his eyes grew wide behind the mug.

"What? Co faire? Why? What's the matter?"

"Its just some personal things have come up and I need the time." Danielle felt that she didn't have time for this. She still had other places to go then she still had the hour-long drive back. "It's just.."

"Chérie, sit down. What the matter? Is it your father?"

"No. I just feel so burned out that I can't think straight. I don't want this to affect my grades any more then they are." This much was true. But she was used to stress and it actually wasn't that bad. If her grades were passing she would graduate that following May.

LaEttner rubbed his gray whiskery cheek and took another sip of coffee. "You are too hard on your self Danielle. And you do work hard. All right. I'll see what I can do. But since you are taking off now, I do hope that you have your fall semesters theses and dissertations done? I will take them if you are." he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Danielle's eyes widened in panic.

He noticed this and groaned, "Danielle…."

Her face spilt into a grin. "Don't worry. I have them."

He shook his head at her, "You're just like your father. I swear you two will be the death of me."

Danielle laughed. "I have my moments." She stood and pulled her papers out of the leather case. "If it's all the same, I do want to deliver my dissertation for Dr. Ulrich myself."

"Very well. I will have the lessons e-mailed to you. You can at least review them." LaEttner said while taking the papers and placing them in a folder. "You do know that I'll be calling your parents right?" he said as he labeled the folder.

Wincing, Danielle nodded. "Yes sir I do."

"Ok then. You run along and take care."

Turning Danielle hurried out the room and huffed her way through the long labyrinthine of hallways and tunnels to make her way to the Biology building. She paused for a moment outside her professor's door and took out her inhaler. After she took a few good tokes on it and had her aching lungs under control, she knocked on the door then entered. The short doctor was at his desk reading though papers. There were a few students working on extra credit but she didn't pay them any mind.

"Dr. Ulrish…I would like to talk to you."

The professor sighed. "Yes Danielle?"

"I want you to know that I won't be attending classes until after the Thanksgiving holiday." Danielle rushed out.

"Mmm. I see. Unlike others I'm not one to care. But I do hope you have the dissertation?" he finally looked up at her.

"Yes, yes." Danielle shoved the paper into his hand. "Ok then. I would like to know if I could get some sterile 3 cc regular tip syringe needles?"

"Practicing on peaches again are we?" this time he had amusement in his voice.

"Uh…yeah."

"Why? We covered this three years ago. It was one of the few good things you were good at. I still think you'd do better as a TA here or maybe a veterinary technician at the zoo. They already have you in high regard. You've been a Volunteer there since you were sixteen right? You struggle with the chemistry and…."

"I know, I know…so about those needles?" Danielle was honestly hurt by what he said, but easily brushed it off. "I feel like I need a refresher course." 

Dr. Ulrich sighed and nodded. "Fine. You know were we keep them. One bag."

Xxx

Danielle made her way through the large restaurant that she worked at. It was a fancy place that doubled as a cocktail bar. Most people that ate there were of high society and were always dressed nice. A few frowned and turned their noses up at her when she walking in wearing just jeans and a old plain hoodie. She walked up to the bar where Charlie was cleaning champagne glasses.

"Hey Dannie…what you doing here? You don't work until tomorrow," he said in his gravely voice.

Danielle groaned, "It's Danielle…not 'Dannie' or 'Dan' or even 'Ellie'. Danielle. I'm looking for Ray. Is he in?"

"He sure is. He back in the office. Go on back 'Nellie'." he turned away to scrub at a spot on the shinny glass like surface of the bar.

Danielle sighed as she rolled her eyes. She quickly headed back to the main office. She rapped on the door.

"Qui C'est q'ca? Who is it?"

"It's me, Danielle."

"Ahh bebelle Danielle! Come in."

Danielle let herself in and saw her boss seated behind a white wood desk. "Hello, Mr LaMotta. I don't have much time today so I'll get to the point. I really need that vacation time you offered last week. Something has come up and I need it."

The dark skinned Cajun blinked at her in surprise. "Is sudden no? Is now bad timing, since you said no, yes? But for you chérie, of course. You fill out the forms, yes? You good for money?" he fired off these questions as he pulled out some form for her fill out.

"I'm good." Yes, she was thankfully. Her parents had paid for half of her education, just like they had did with her older sister. The rest she was paying on with student loans and the money she got from working. She did have an inheritance that her grandmother had left her when she had died. She'd left her a quarter of her old southern plantation estate, which was a sum of little less then five hundred thousand dollars. Her sister had gotten more but Danielle didn't mind. Margot had two children and was divorced. Danielle had left the money alone for emergencies and this was one.

XXX

Danielle finally turned down the road to her house. It had taken her almost all day but she was finally done. There was a bunch of groceries beside her and the little brown bottle of Penicillin G Procaine was safely tucked into a cooler to keep it cold. She turned off the radio and she again slowed the truck, keeping an eye on the road. Passing the LaGide family's trailer she was pleased to see that they weren't home. Finally arriving home, she first carried the tiny cooler in. She set it on the kitchen table. She then hurried to check on Randall, but when she got to the room she saw that the door was open. Peeking inside she was conformed that it was empty. Almost panicking she checked the next door she came to and breathed a sigh of relief. He was sitting on the black and white tile floor of the bathroom, his eyes half closed.

Kneeling beside him, she touched his shoulder. It was still very hot. She had to get him up and off the cold floor. "Randall?"

"Mhmm?" his voice was slightly slurred and tried.

"How long have you been on the floor?"

Randall shook his head, "Not long…I think… I was sick."

Danielle smiled ruefully, "Was? No. You are sick." She stood and took his arm. "Let's get you off this cold floor and back to bed."

Randall slowly pushed himself up using Danielle as support, for once not shying away from her touch. Once he was standing on all three legs, albeit shaky, Danielle again shifted and wrapped her right arm around his upper middle. He slumped against her, his head drooping, his chin almost touching his chest. When he slumped against Danielle she was surprised that he was willingly leaning this close to her.

"Alright…ready?"

Randall just mumbled and nodded. She took a deep straining breath and she began to help him walk back down the hall. He was walking better even though he was weak. He held his right arm out and what she had thought was claws was actually rounded pads on his three fingers. They only just brushed the wall, but it seemed to help steady him. His broken leg was held up, though the toes were touching the floor. He was still very tired, it seemed.

She finally got him back to the room and helped him to the bed. He sat down oddly by scooting his whole body up on the bed and his two front legs were at the edge, his broken one held steady from the dowel rods so that he could bend the knee. Both came to a rest and were dangling off the edge. He slumped down and rested as Danielle did the same. "Will you be alright for fifteen minutes? I have some stuff out in the truck. I really need to get them in. After I do that I'll take a look at that gash and start you on some meds."

Randall lifted his head and met her eyes, his green eyes dull and tired. "I'll be fine."

Danielle nodded once and hurried to get the groceries and put the perishables away. She then gathered up the med supplies but before she headed back to the room she pulled out bottles of vitamins that she had gotten at the health food store. "Iron pills, Vitamin C, and...Vitamin E. And Calcium." She threw a handful of each onto her blender and turned it all into a nasty colored gel. She hoped this mixture would jump start his immune system and help kick that cold into orbit. She grabbed a spoon and scraped the vitamin goop into a bowl and took this and the other items back to the room.

Randall was still where he was, though he had pulled the comforter up and around his shoulders. He was looking a little more aware for the time being.

"Randall?"

He turned his head to her watching her as she set up the dresser again. Danielle wrapped a towel around his neck. "I'm going to check this gash." as she unwrapped his head, she began to talk to him. "I had to clip a few stitches last night. There was a build up of pus and other nasties." She looked again at the wound. It hadn't got better, but it hadn't got worse yet. "Good. It's not better but it's not worse. I'm going to flush this out. It may sting." Apparently it did for as she flushed the wound with clean water he winced but didn't jerk out of her reach. "I'm afraid you may have a scar."

He surprised her by laughing obscurely. "Just one more to add to the collection. As you may see I'm no stranger to them," he gestured to the back of his head and then to his rib cage.

Danielle paused and looked. He was right, there was small scar on the left side below his fronds and behind his eye. On his ribs he had a few series of parallel scars on both sides. She ran her finger across one and his flesh jerked and he let out a half laugh that soon turned into a hacking cough. Danielle patted his back and when he was done all he did was half-heartedly glare at her. "I'm sorry." She finished up and took the towel from around his neck and put them aside. "Ok. I got you some meds. I'm not sure of what you are but I have to ask…you aren't allergic to penicillin are you?"

Again he surprised her by laughing. "No. And to make it clear, I am up to-date on my tetanus shots."

She raised her eyebrow in surprised and confusion. Again he didn't offer any more as to where he came from or how he would get tetanus shots so she left it alone. "Well…that's good. All right." She turned and picked up the bowl full of the vitamin goop and scooped up a big spoonful of the gel. "I need you to swallow this".

Randall glared at her then looked at the quivering goop on the spoon. "You do know it wouldn't make sense for you to take the time to save me, only to poison me?"

Danielle snorted back a laugh as she tried to keep her face straight. "It's not poison. It's vitamins. It's good for you."

He still stared at the gel as if it had turned into the killer blob. "I don't have to try poison to know that it kills."

Sighing peevishly now she didn't bother to waste anymore time. She just pushed the spoon into his mouth. He gagged for a moment and then swallowed. When he was done, he glared and snarled at her.

"Oh stop it. It's said and done. Now. I really need to get you started on the Penicillin." Danielle turned and opened the small cooler. She pulled out the small brown bottle and shook it. Then taking a sterile 3 cc syringe she filled the needle. She then tuned back to Randall. He was staring wide eyed at the needle.

"Oh god. Don't tell me you're afraid of this?"

That brought him out of his frozen mode. "Afraid? Of course not. I just don't like them."

"Nobody that's sane does. But trust me. I'm very good. You wouldn't feel a thing. With this though it'd be best if I do it near your…uh…. either of your hips?" Again she was befuddled. With his body structure and the way she had seen him move, he seemed to have two sets of hips. Though he seemed to carry most of his weight on his last set. They seemed to be his true hips.

Not getting an answer Danielle looked back up at him. His small bout of emery was fading as his eyes began to drop. Choosing a hip, she moved in and after sterilizing the chosen area with alcohol gently inserted the needle through the skin, going between any scales, injecting the mediation. She was done and capping the used needle when a voice behind her spoke up.

"Are you going to do this or what?"

She turned and smiled sweetly at him. "It's already over."

He blinked tiredly at her. "Really? You are good."

It was the first nice thing he had said to her. She gave a small wink towards him. "Told ya." He just shook his head. Danielle looked at him closely. He was getting tired again. "Lie down," she said gently, "when you wake back up we'll see if you feel alright enough to try some broth.

Randall sighed, but nodded. "Ok," he said. Scooted around and straightened his long body out. She laid the comforter on him and he was already falling asleep by the time she had gathered the stuff up and headed to the door. When she looked back at him, Randall was already asleep. She just shook her head and went out the door, flicking the light out, thinking,_ _you're something else, Randall.__


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**I want to thank Alu In Chains for being my beta. Muchas gracias! Hey, it's a shorter chapter then my others. Wow. I tell you. Randall's just being mean. But Danielle gets her revenge.**

**Chapter 6**

XXX

Danielle thought she was going to go crazy.

She couldn't sit still all day. Not being used to the time off she wondered around the house and property like a lost puppy. She spent a lot of time outside and played with Bread. Her wild, youthful age had depleted her from her energy but the Jack Russell Terrier and Corgi mix managed a good race now and then.

Danielle smiled as the dog raced as fast she her old legs could carry her to get the ball. On the way back however, the hyper dog was slower and as she dropped the ball at her feet, Bread sat down, panting. Danielle kneeled down and petted her head.

"Tired are we? Well that's enough anyway. Let's go inside." Danielle stood up and the dog followed quietly beside her, her spurts of energy gone. Danielle walked in and made her way over to the table where the cordless phone and answering machine set. No messages.

At least not yet.

She was waiting for her mother to call. She was sure that LaEttner had called her parents. He was a close friend of her parents and if she took time off early from school she was sure that he would call. Though she was now paying for collage herself now, her parents, especially her mother, never let her hear the end of the fact that they had paid for the first year. They had done the same thing with her older sister when it was time for Margot to go to collage. They had paid for the first two years and the rest was up to Margot. When it was time for Danielle to go to college, they gave her the choice of them paying for the first two years and she live at the dorms while they sold the property and took their retirement, or since she was the youngest and last to leave home, they could give her the house and pay for only one year. Since she had a few scholarships and a job already, she opted for the latter, not wanting to give up Swamp Thing and Bread at the time. The deal was done, and her parents signed the property over to her and took off to Florida.

But college was harder then she had anticipated and she struggled every step of the way. Her love for animals didn't make the chemistry and math classes any less confusing. Her grades fluctuated and the Dean, being a friend of her parents, kept an eye on her and reported everything back to her parents.

_As if he doesn't have enough to do_, she thought as she shook herself out of her thoughts and moved away from the phone. She walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator's door. Not really caring she grabbed a random frozen vegetarian dinner. She ripped the plastic off and tossed it into the microwave. After setting the timer, she picked up the bowl of vitamin goop she had made earlier and filled a glass with water. She made her way back to the room. The door was cracked just like she had left it last time she had checked on Randall. She had been checking on him every hour and woke him up every two hours to feed him the vitamin gel and give him water. Thankfully he was keeping the water and gel down. Danielle bumped the door open with her hip and peered into the room. Randall was awake this time, though he was staring at the closet door. Now that she thought about it, he seemed to have an odd fascination with closets, or at least this one. Whenever she woke him and he was awake enough to look around his eyes always seemed to go back to that closet door.

This time when he heard the door open his eyes darted to Danielle. She smiled when she saw that he was awake. "So you awake on your own this time? That's good."

He just grunted at her while he slowly sat up. She waited until he was maneuvered around until he was in a position that was comfortable for him. His eyes settled on the bowl and let out a disgusted groan. Danielle hid her sheepish smile. She knew that he really hated that goop she made him take, though he was getting better about it.

"That stuff again? How much longer are you going to keep 'shoveling' he winced at his word usage but recovered, " that into my mouth?"

"As long as it's needed. Stop being such a baby. Now here," she handed him the tablespoon full of the goop.

Randall just curled his lip and took the spoon. He quickly shoved the spoon in his mouth making a rather odd and amusing face at the bitter taste. He quickly swallowed the gel, already learning that the sooner that he swallowed it the sooner she would hand him the glass of water to wash the vile taste out of his mouth.

Danielle passed him the glass of water when he reached for it and took the spoon back. She leaned against the wall while he drank it down gratefully. Thankfully he wasn't gulping water like he had been. When he was finished he handed the glass back and sighed drowsily.

"You're probably hungry by now." Danielle said. "Is there anything in particular you want to eat? Or don't want?"

Randall groaned in despair. He felt the emptiness in his stomach but he was worried what would happen if he ate. "I'm afraid of what food might do to my stomach," he said. "I just don't feel like eating right now. Maybe later."

"Alright, though you will have to try to eat sometime. I'll bring you some broth. If you can keep that down, you can try something a little more solid. You do look a little too thin."

Feeling some nastiness surface, the words slipped out of his mouth before he had the chance to stop them, "And in all aspect… you do not."

Danielle's eyes widened in surprise and started to put her hands on her hips to glare at him, but stopped. Fat was she? She wasn't fat. Just slightly wider in the hips then she liked. He was just being plain mean now. She knew he was still running a fever. She could see the smooth purple skin that wasn't bruised or covered by scales under his eyes and around his fronds were flushed with darker coloring. But just because he was sick didn't mean he could be nasty.

Gritting her teeth, she chose not to look at him, so instead Danielle eyed his hurt leg that was under the covers. She needed to take a look at that leg and put a better cast around it. Her revenge came in the form of both a way to fully set the leg and get her revenge without harming anything but his pride.

Now meeting his eyes, she glared at him then spun on her heel and marched over to the closet and threw the door open. Out the corner of her eye she saw him flinch but she ignored it. She rummaged around in the closet until she found the box she wanted. Walking back she threw the covers back. He flinched again as if he couldn't help it, but she didn't comment. "I need to look at the leg." The sentence was cold and short. Without waiting for an answer she began to unwrap the ace bandages. When the last one was unrolled and his thin leg was lying out on the bed she took in the sight of the swelling and bruising down the broken leg calf. She heard Randall hiss at the sight of the damage and she softened a little. "This is going to hurt, so hold on," she warned him before she began to gently but firmly prod and feel his leg.

She blanked out the distressing sounds of groans and cries of pain. She could see his blue tail curling and standing ridged, but she continued in her work and was relived at her discovery. She stopped and stepped back allowing Randall to catch his breath.

"Well, for once I have some good news," she said as she picked up the box she had gotten from the closet.

"You'd better have good news after all that!" Randall growled out between gasps. He hadn't meant to be that rude earlier, but it had just slipped out. He didn't think she'd be that cruel. His leg, which she had told him was broken hadn't been hurting that much before, but now it was throbbing and aching horribly.

"Well, I had originally thought it was broken, being bent at the angle it was. I mean, I had or have no way to get an x-ray done out here. But seeing the bruising and swelling still, I believe that your fibula is just cracked. Just a small possible hairline fracture since there is no bone movement."

Randall let out a breath of relief. For once it was good news. "So, the leg will be fine then."

"Yes, a short healing time and no surgery thank god. You wouldn't want that." Danielle said watching him closely.

"Surgery? And how would you go about that if it had to be done? You can't very well take me to a hospital." Randall looked at her warily.

"I know. I'd have to put either pins, plates, or screws in to achieve a solid fixation of the bony ends." Danielle said cheerfully, a little too cheerfully.

"And you couldn't give me something to put me asleep?" Randall asked.

"Well, I could, but I wouldn't know how well your body will react to what I have. Beside what I have wouldn't be strong enough, not without you overdosing. So if I HAD to operate you'd have to be awake." Danielle paused and smiled reassuring since Randall was staring at her with a miserable and shocked look. "But… don't worry. Like I said…you don't need surgery. In fact, you can actually walk on it."

"Really? That is good. So how would I walk on it?" Randall asked as he wiped sweat away. He could still fell the fever raging through his body but this good news had perked him up.

Danielle smiled mischievously and opened the box she had. "You'd be able to walk some with…"she reached into the box and pulled out a small pink plastic contraption that was in the shape of a human's leg from the calf down, "this!"

Randall's eyes widened. "And what is 'this'?" He took it from Danielle and looked at it, turning in his hands. There was faded black lettering all over the plastic pieces.

Danielle smirked, "It's a children's Aircast XP Walker. I fell out of a tree when I was twelve. I broke my ankle. I just decided to keep it since all my friends had wrote all over it."

He dropped it. He now knew where this was heading. "And you're going to put that thing on me?"

"Yep. The hard plastic shell will provide protection and immobilization like a plaster cast, but it's much lighter and sanitary." She picked up the ace bandages and wrapped a few around his leg and had his leg strapped in the contraption before he could say a word.

Randall was now staring at the atrociousness pink plastic thing on his leg. It was still throbbing but the padding inside the shell was soft and the pain died down some. He had to admit, though the pink was horrible, the 'cast' felt better then the wooden rods she had used.

Danielle stood back and looked at her handy work. She was still annoyed but was no longer angry. "I am so glad I kept that. Your leg is so thin and short that an adults won't work."

Randall snorted.

"Buck up skinny mullet, you won't have to wear it forever." She watched as Randall ignored her and turned his head to stare at the closet. He was also looking extremely tired again. She reached out and touched his shoulder.

He jumped and then turned his head toward her and frowned, "Why must you keep touching me?"

Danielle scoffed, "I've had all my shots. I don't have cooties. Now quite being a Mr. Touch-Me-Not. I was seeing if you were still hot. And you obviously are. So why don't you lie back down and rest? You're a mess."

He let out a humorless, half-choked laugh. "I am, aren't I?" He paused as if he was thinking of something. "Why… why are you doing this?" he asked, gritting his teeth as a wave of fatigue made his body tremble, "Why are you helping me?"

Danielle's face softened, though she didn't answer. She picked up the comforter and held it while he stretched back out. He was trying to stay awake to see if she was going to answer him but sleep was coming on fast. He was almost asleep when he heard her answer.

"How could I _not_ help?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**I want to thank Alu In Chains for being my beta. Muchas gracias!**

**Also, I want to let all know that I have fan art up on DeviantART under the name BlackNaginata.**

Chapter 7

XXXX  
>Danielle stumbled out of her room the next morning. She quickly fed Bread and Butter and started her coffee. Taking a look at the answering machine she was surprised to see no calls. Huh, they must be really busy. All the better for me then. She thought. She turned back to the kitchen and gathered up the first aid supplies and carried them down the hall to the bedroom. After she had put the pink cast on Randall's leg and he was able to get more comfortable; she had had a feeling that the dowel rods had been uncomfortable, he was able to settle down and sleep better; though when she had checked on him sometime during the night, his fever had spiked higher and she had begun to worry. She had stayed up all night with him, keeping cool washcloths on his head. It wasn't until three in the morning that it had come down enough that she could go to bed herself. Balancing the items in her hands, she opened the door and walked in. She could see Randall curled up on his left side, his flexible body almost in a knot.<p>

Danielle smiled as she shook her head and began to set the items up on the dresser. When she was done she turned back to Randall. She watched his chest was rise and fall steadily. She reached out and touched his head, the burning heat no longer radiating from him.

_Thank god, the fever's broken._

She kneeled down and began to the hard task of waking him, as he had proven hard to wake on more then one occasion. "Randall? Come on Randall wake up. There are some things I need to check and I need you wake up."

Randall just groaned and curled up tighter mumbling. Danielle let out a small laugh. He looked adorable when he curled up tighter. He was like big kid not wanting to get up and go to school. "Come on Randall. I need to clean that gash and you need to eat. Don't make me tickle you."

No response.

"All right. I warned you." With that she reached under the covers and brushed her fingers over his ribs. She had remembered that he had been ticklish the last time she had touched his sides.

The light brush of fingers over his ribcage had him jolting up and looking around wide-eyed. His green eyes soon found the source. Danielle was kneeled by the bed, her hand covering her mouth and snickering. The wide eyes narrowed in annoyance as he relaxed.

"What were you thinking human? Can't I sleep?" He grumbled.

Danielle stood up. "I'm glad to see that your lovely personality is still fine. I need to check that gash, give you another dose of penicillin and you need to eat. You'll never get better if you don't eat."

Randall sighed irritably; he was getting tired of the human playing nursemaid. In fact now that he was able to think more clearly, how did she know what to do? He watched as she picked up a white towel.

Danielle was well aware of him watching her. It made her slightly nervous but she did her best to ignore it. She turned and placed the towel around his neck and tried to go about her work. He was still watching her, the green eyes clearer then they had been in the last few days. Unwrapping the bandages, she took a look at the half opened gash. The red was still there but as she looked in it there was finally no pus and it looked like it was well on its way to begin to heal, though it still had some ways to go. "You are so lucky Randall."

The words caught him off guard. He had to blink a few times. "What? Lucky?" He began to chuckle bitterly, "I'm not lucky. If I were lucky I wouldn't be here. Be in this mess."

"I don't know how or why you ended up in the LaGide family trailer but what I meant was that Mrs. LaGide just barely missed your eye. If she had hit it you'd be blind, possibly even killed from the eye rupturing. She missed, thank god, but the side of the shovel apparently dug into your skull, leaving the gash. You don't have much muscle on your head so the gash is down to the bone. Plus…she did…crack your skull. The force she must have used was devastating. She could have very well cracked open your skull and hit your brain. And the skin on and around your head is still heavily bruised and cracked."

Randall hadn't been too sure of the damage, he had seen the stitched mess of his head in the bathroom but he had been so tired that his vision was blurry. But now hearing this from her, he felt a cold chill go all the way down his spine. All twelve feet of it. He shuddered violently and before he could help it he let out a choked gasp.

Danielle had turned away to pick up a new roll of glaze, keeping a hand on his shoulder. She felt him shudder violently and then heard the choked gasp. She turned in concern and saw him hugging himself with both sets of arms with his eyes closed tightly. She dropped the roll back onto the dresser and turned to him completely. He began to rock, slightly shuddering.

At first not sure what to do, Danielle bit her lip as she watched him. She wanted to comfort him but wasn't sure how to. She knew he hated her touching him and even though she took him in her home and cared for him, she didn't know what or who he was or where he came from or what he had done or been. He wasn't an animal but he wasn't human either. As she stood and watched him rock back and forth, she felt overwhelmed with the task she had taken upon herself. She realized he needed more then physical care. There was something else eating away at him. As he continued to rock Danielle made her decision. She sat on the bed next to him and only hesitated for a slight second then wrapped her arms around him.

She felt him flinch only slightly but surprisingly allowed her to hold him. She just made soothing noises in the back of her throat as she allowed him to continue to rock, her rocking along with him, until she held him tighter and tensed her body to help hold him still though he continued to shake in her arms. Her own head was buried in his neck not saying a word, only continuing to hold him until she felt him relax. She lifted her head and looked down at him. His head was resting on her shoulder, his large green eyes closed.

He'll probably sleep for a while. He must be exhausted. I just hope he's ok when he wakes up. These thoughts passed through her head as she wiggled around and helped lay him back down. She didn't bother waking him to rewrap his head. The house was clean and there was no way to get dirt in the wound, besides the air would do it some good. As she slid off the bed the same time laying his head down, he grabbed a hold of her hand and squeezed.

Danielle winced but didn't say a word. For someone that had been basically on the brink of death he still had strength. Strength that came from arms that looked too thin and weak to pick up anything heavier then a cat.

_But looks are sure deceiving. Especially with you_, she thought as she brushed the limp fronds back. He loosened his grip and turned mumbling in his sleep.

Danielle stood up fully and cracked her back, groaning, then turned and made her way back to the kitchen. Once in the kitchen, she dug around in the cabinets until she found the can of beef broth. Now that his fever had broken, later she was going to wake him back up and make him eat. Since she had had him for the last four days he didn't eat anything and she didn't even know when the last time he ate before she had found him.

When the can was out, ready to be opened when he woke, Danielle went back to the living room and sat down next to Bread. Clicking the TV on she decided to watch some of the mind numbing programs.

XXX

Yawning, Danielle turned the TV over to a music program to allow for some noise while she stretched. She stopped when she heard a door creak open. She didn't have long to wait, for around the corner she saw Randall's purple bruised head bob into sight. He carried his head low and out in a graceful half arch. He was limping with the pink cast on his leg. She looked at his face to see if there was any pain, but she didn't see any, thankfully. Only slight annoyance and awkwardness as if he wasn't used to be so cumbersome with his movements.

"Afternoon Randall."

His head swung towered her and he staggered some. He looked away quickly and Danielle realized that he was apparently embarrassed about earlier. She decided that it'd be best not to mention a word about it. She slid Butter off her lap. He had decided that her lap had made a good bed earlier and had pined her down. He let out a meowing protest, but curled upon the spot that Danielle moved him to. She stood up and walked up to Randall. "Come on. Let's get you seated in the kitchen and I'll heat up the broth."

Danielle began to walk to the kitchen keeping an eye on him from the corner of her eyes. He followed moving slowly. It seemed finally after days of being sick and woozy from a possible concession he was more aware, though he was still moving weakly. She had a feeling that this was due to the fact he hadn't had anything to eat in days.

They made it to the kitchen and Danielle took one look at the chairs and then back at Randall and let out a curse.

This caused Randall to pause by the doorframe and blink at her in surprise. "What?"

"There isn't any way you can sit in these chairs." Danielle began to rack her brain for a solution. Remembering the soft rolling stool she had in her study she told Randall to wait a second and hurried to the room.

Randall held onto the doorframe easily while he waited. He was still embarrassed about his emotional breakdown. He hoped that he didn't have any more. He hadn't broke down like that since he was a child though there had been many times in the last few years that he sure felt like doing so. He had never felt so helpless. It was a feeling he loathed.

His acute hearing picked up the sound of wheels rolling across hardwood then carpet. He turned his head and saw the human rolling a light tan round backless chair. She rolled it past him and into the kitchen and up to the table. She then tapped a leaver a few times and it lowered down.

She stepped back and nodded once. "There. This is yours now. Let's get you seated and I'll heat up the broth."

Randall limped over to the stool and sat down easily, scooting his lower half up on the lowered seat. He folded his two good back legs and the two front ones dangled, the toes touching the linoleum. Danielle waited a few seconds, watching him. He finally settled and actually looked comfortable so she let him be.

She moved to the stove and turned the stove on. She rolled her eyes when the fire didn't click on as well. She turned the gas back off and reached into the cabinet's door and pulled out a box of matches. "How are you feeling?" she asked as she re-lit the pilot light and turned the stove on.

He looked over at her, uneasiness and confusion mixing in his gaze. "Better. Stiff and sore, but better," he said.

"That's good." She opened the can and poured the thin brown liquid into the saucepan. She turned to Randall. He was still watching her closely. Danielle slowly walked over to him. She watched as he tensed but didn't move. "I'm going to check this gash and it's time for another dose of the penicillin. I'll do this while I'm heating up the broth."

Randall was quiet for a minute then nodded. He was silent while she looked over the gash on his head. He waited until she was done before he asked. "How is it now?"

"Better. Much better. It's still red, but there is no pus and the inner looks like it's begun to heal. It'll probably be at least two to three weeks before it's fully closed despite the fact that it's only half an inch deep. She caught you on the thicker part of your head, closer to your fronds. The smaller cuts are already healing wonderfully. How along ago was your tetanus shot?"

Randall half closed his eyes in thought then opened them again. "Three months ago."

"That's good. Now lets get you that injection and by then the broth will be done." She stepped back and moved to the refrigerator and pulled out the small brown bottle.

Randall watched as she set everything up still wondering how did she know how to do all of this? She looked too young to be a human's doctor. Deciding to wait until after the shot, he shifted to become more comfortable in the seat. He had always had trouble with chairs. Either his body wasn't made for them or chairs weren't made for him. He was thankful for the stool that she had. As he waited for her to set the injection up, Randall took this time to look around again. The kitchen was open and airy. It was bright and cheerful with the light colors of yellow and white. To him it all looked surreal, as if he was in a strange dream. But the aches and pains that throbbed through his body were very much real. He knew he couldn't stay here. He needed to find a working door and get back. Now that he wasn't on the brink of death, he could think clearly and assess his situation. He didn't know anything about this human though she cared for him. And why did she care for him? He knew from experience that humans were afraid of the unknown. Why didn't she bat an eye at him? He had seen the shocked looks when he would change color, but she had just shaken it off and continued to help him. Why?

Why?

Why were there too many questions?

"Randall?"

Randall blinked. He looked around and saw that the human was kneeling by his side, the needle in her hand. "What?"

"You ok?"

"Yeah. Sure. I'm fine. Why?"

"Well…I hadn't even touched you and you were sitting there growling." she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh. I'm fine."

"Ok. Well, here we go." the human inserted the needle through the skin, going between any scales, injecting the mediation. He barely felt it, only a slight pinch and then a quick burn and it was over. _Thank god for some favors_, he thought as he watched her dispose of the used needle in a plastic box. He was rather glad that it didn't hurt. He felt that he had had enough pain to last him for several years. He waited on the stool while she washed her hands and pulled out a bowl from a white wood cabinet. "How do you know what to do? With the penicillin and the bandages? What are you here?" He finally voiced what he had been wondering.

"I go to school. I'm studying to be become a vet, one that mostly associates with exotic animals like reptiles, large cats, and birds. Lucky huh?"

"Hmm." He was satisfied with the answer though he snorted quietly to himself. _Lucky indeed_, he thought. He didn't say anymore, becoming distracted by the smell of whatever was in the pot and for the first time in days he felt his appetite stir.

She brought a bowl to the table and set a large spoon down. Randall turned back to the table and picked up the spoon. He stirred it in the thin brown liquid curiously. "What was this again?" he asked. He knew that he could handle the water here, but he still wasn't too sure of the food. He looked up at the human.

She had moved so that she was seated across from him.

"It's beef broth. Chicken would've been best but you need the extra iron. At least it's still broth," she said as she sipped from a mug. At first he perked up at the familiar sight of a coffee mug, but the odor coming from it wasn't coffee. It smelled sweeter and lighter. He sighed and turned back to the broth. Beef. Whatever that was. But the way his belly was beginning to complain to him he felt he really was going to die if he didn't eat something.

Randall stirred the thin brown liquid in his bowl again then scooped some up and began to sip the soup. The taste was surprisingly good. Thin but rich with flavor. He swallowed the spoonful and waited. When his belly did nothing more but beg for some more he began to ate with feverish hunger. When he'd scooped the last of the broth up, he set the bowl down with a sigh.

"Thank you," he said, being surprisingly polite. "I think I was really hungry."

"You're welcome. You can have some more if you think you can keep it down. That was only a cup." She stood back up and picked up the bowl.

Randall thought for a minute. "I think I can handle some more."

"Ok. We'll still take it easy." She took the bowl back to the stove and poured another cupful in. She took it back to the table and just as she placed it in front of him a shrill ringing had her and Randall to both jump. He looked around wildly his breathing quickening.

Danielle glared over at the wall phone. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's only a phone. Relax."

Randall shook his head and pulled away. "I know what a phone is," he growled. "It just startled me."

"Maybe you do need some more food Grumpy. Eat and I'll answer it." Danielle rolled her eyes at him and picked up the white wall phone. "Hello?" She had a sinking feeling that she knew who it was.

The shrill heavy Cajun accented voice that came over the other end conformed her suspicion.

"What are ya thinking! We come back from visiting your father's parents and there is a message on the phone saying that you aren't in school! Dit mon la verite', what are you doing?"

"Mom!…Mother…." Danielle tried to get her mother to listen as she continued to rant at her. Finally she screamed, "Mère!" She saw Randall jump and turn to look at her in surprise. She sent him an apologetic smile and lowered her voice. "Mom, I've never missed school before. As I told Mr. LaEttner, I just need some time alone. I had already turned in all my theses and dissertations for the semesters and have it set up to receive the next lessons. I won't fall behind."

Her mother was quiet for a few minutes. "Is everything alright there? Maybe I should send Margot over. She and the children can stay with you for a few days. I worry that you are all alone."

"No, no. I'm not alone." she watched as Randall froze and turned back to her watching her warily, the broth forgotten. "I have Bread and Butter."

"Aye, you and the animals. I swear you are going to be a vielle fille."

"I don't want to end up like Margot. Divorced twice and with two brats at thirty. Mom you've seen those kids. They're little monsters. We've had this talk before and I'm not having it now. It's old." Danielle hopped up on the counter to wait her mom out. She should see out of the corner of her eye Randall was trying not to listen but the way he had his head cocked she could tell that he was listening to every word.

"I just don't want you to be alone. You are way out in the bayou and the only people around are the LaGide's."

"You know my views on them."

"I know, but still I worry about you."

"Mom, I'm a big girl. I have my inhalers and it's not like it's the old days when I have to be married and have life planed out before I'm twenty. I don't need a man to take care of me." Danielle's voice hardened. This was talk she had with her mother hundreds of times before.

"Ma fille…"

"How's dad?"

"He's fine. He's unloading the car."

"Ok. Tell him that I love him. I have to check dinner." Danielle hopped off of the counter and planned to hang up.

"Wait! You coming to Florida for Thanksgiving? If not we can all go to Margot's again."

"Uh…." Danielle looked frantically over at Randall and he looked back at her questionly. "Uh…I don't think I'll make to either place this year. I…uh have plans. Bye Mom." Danielle quickly hung up the phone ignoring her mother's protests.

"Liar."

The amused voice sounded behind her. "What?" She turned to see Randall smirking at her.

"You just flat out lied to your mother. Shame on you." Amusement and sarcasm was written all over his face.

Danielle scoffed. "So what? She'll call back in a few hours, then dad will, followed by Margot." She walked over and picked up the forgotten bowl of broth. "She is a stubborn Cajun through and through. She didn't want me or my sister to go to college, instead wanted us married before we were twenty. She came from the deep of the Bayou. How she met my father is still unclear, but they married when she was sixteen and he was twenty. He wanted to move to the city but she had drugged her feet. So he took out a loan, bought this house and went to college. He became a professor in Theater Arts. Life then happened and she had Margot, my sister, then a boy that died at birth then me. They moved to Florida finally a few years back. I was always closer to my father, but he at least lets me live my life. My mother does not. Several states away, and she still tries to control." Danielle shoved close the cabinet door a little too hard. She picked up a glass and filled it with water and brought it back to the table and dropped four pills down in front of him. "There you go. Swallow them then well see what I can do with you."

Randall was about to open his mouth but changed his mind. He looked down at the pills. "What are these?"

"Remember that goop that I had been feeding you? That's them. I think you're well enough to swallow the pills now…unless you want the goop?" Danielle smiled sweetly at him.

Randall shook his head feverishly and quickly swallowed the pills down.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**I want to thank Alu In Chains for being my beta. Muchas gracias!**

**Also, I want to let all know that I have fan art up on DeviantART under the name BlackNaginata.**

_**Reave the Just and Other Tales **_**and **_**The Runes of the Earth**_** are both by Stephen R. Donaldson. You all really need to check these books out. They're wonderful. **

**The Mask, Never give all the heart, and The Pity Of Love are all by William Butler Yeats **

**Chapter 8**

XXXXX

_I really need to learn to keep my mouth shut_. Randall thought as he alternated between glaring at the cast and at Danielle. If the horrible pink cast wasn't enough with the faded girly writing and hearts, there was now bright purple and pink glitter on the cast with the words, "Get well, XOXOXO' and a great big heart drawn and colored in with purple glitter.

Randall was lying on the couch. After he had finished eating he hadn't wanted to go back to the bedroom just yet. He was up and aware. He couldn't stand the thought of being trapped in the room any longer than needed. So the human had offered the couch to him. He had gladly accepted. In the living room, he had been able to watch most of the comings and goings. Once she had helped settle him onto the couch and piled cushions and blankets around him, Randall had planned to watch the human for a while. But he was still weakened by the injuries and the high fever he had. Once he had gotten warm and comfortable and with a full belly, he had quickly dozed off. When he had woke later he had stretched, wincing as the muscles in his body protested.

Once he felt the joints pop, he had settled back with a sigh and looked around. There was music playing low from the kitchen area. He had turned his head toward the kitchen and saw that the light was on. He had waited patiently until he saw the human walk out carrying a large white plastic basket full of towels. She had noticed him and told him that she had to put the towels away and then she'd be back.

Randall had harrumphed, not really caring. Within a few minutes she had been back and began to recheck his head. After his slight breakdown he hadn't wanted her to fuss over him anymore. He had tried to wiggle away, but he hadn't counted on the blankets being in the way so much, so he had been pinned.

"Stop. It's fine," he had said as he had leaned forward in an effort to wiggle away.

The human had shaken her head in authoritativeness. "No, Randall. I need to check it. It has been a few hours. You're up now and I can just take a quick look."

Randall had curled his lip as he growled up at her. "Human…"

"Randall." She had stood in front of him, her arms crossed. Randall had glared up at her and had started move again. The human had sighed in annoyance and leaned forward, putting her right hand on his left shoulder, and pinned him down on the couch.

"Hey! Stop it. What is it with you and forever touching me? I don't want your help. I don't need your help." He had reached out and his top arms grasped her right forearm and his lower arms reached out to push her away and… stopped. He had dropped his graze when he felt something soft. His hands had been pressing into her stomach. Randall drew a sharp breath and snatched his hands away. Covering his embarrassment he snarled this time. "I'm warning you human…"

"Warning me? Warning me? I do have a name Randall Boggs. It's Danielle. You can at least call me by my name. And what do you mean "You don't want my help and you don't need my help"? From where I'm standing it looks like you do." She had glared at him angrily.

Randall had bared his sharp jagged teeth, flashing them up at her. He had watched as she had faltered some at the sight of them then she glared right back at him.

"What do you want? Huh? You want to leave? I'm not stopping you! I have just been trying to keep you safe. I don't know what or who you are or where you came from or what you had done or been but I still took you in."

Randall had seen her working herself up in a frenzy, her breathing had became ragged and a strange wheezing had started to rattle from her chest. Before he could do or say anything, she had ripped the blankets off him glaring down at him.

"If you want to leave…leave! I'm not going to stop you this time!"

Randall had stood up and glared back at her. He had opened his mouth to retort but she apparently wasn't done.

"You couyon Bon rien peunez! Go! But I must warn you if you go thorough the swamp there are hunters, traps and other animals and even things we Cajuns haven't even seen. But we've heard them. They're out there." Here she had paused in her rant and small spiteful smirk crossed her face. It had faded as fast as it had come. "If you survive all that you will still get lost and turn around out there. There isn't anythings out there but swamp. If you go down the only road, you'd still have to go past _them_. Then it's miles from any city, town, or even house." By the end of this rant the human had been breathing so hard and straining to even finish her rant that the last word only had been a squeak. He watched as she had stepped back trying to breath. Her lips had began to turn a pale blue and her skin pale as she struggled to breathe.

Randall who had been standing as tall as he could glaring back at her, trying to control his own temper though with each passing minute he had began to get more agitated as well, his fronds coming to stand straight up as well as his tail straightening out. But the fronds flattened back against his head and his hardened eyes had softened in worry as the human continued to fight to get her breath back. He watched as she had staggered back and then trip and fall flat on her rear. Normally this would've sent a smirk to Randall's face but not when she continued to struggle to breathe.

He had had a few kids back when he was a scarer that had asthma and even had known a few monsters that had been plagued with the same thing. He had remembered seeing her several times using the gray inhaler that she always carried in her pockets. That was what she had been digging for. She had pulled it out but her fingers were clumsy and as she had continued to sit there and turn paler and tried to grip her hands around the thing, her eyes had began to roll up in her head.

Randall then did the only thing he could think of. Moving fast even with the cumbersome cast he had kneeled down beside her in a flash, and had leaned over and gripped her shoulders holding her up as she had began to slump. Another one of his hands had reached out and grabbed the fallen inhaler. With one set of arms around her, he had jammed the inhaler into her mouth and had triggered off one, two, big blasts of the gas. He could smell the bitterness of it but ignored it.

The human had sucked in a big gulp of air then began to cough and gag. As he had sat there still helping to prop her up as her body jerked in his hold she continued to cough he began to feel guilt. In his stubbornness, he had caused her to have this bad asthma attack. She was right; she had taken him in and had saved his pathetic excuse of a life. He had screamed the same thing at the monster that had banished him.

Sullivan.

Randall remembered what he had screamed at the giant fur rug. 'You STUPID pathetic waste!' Randall had been meaning himself though. The stress of the day and all his own failures had him to believe that it was him that was the pathetic waste. Randall had felt himself slipping in his own depression when he had felt something pushing at him. Looking back down he had seen the human trying to push his arm away. He had still continued to hold the inhaler in her face and hadn't lowered it. He did then and the human had wiggled out of his hold and away from him, she had crawled away still gasping and coughing and had stood, albeit weakly, but stood and made a weaving beeline to the kitchen. He had heard cabinets being opened and closed and her bumping into things. Then the sound of water running was heard, and more coughing.

Randall had continued to sit in the middle of the living room floor the inhaler still in his hand. He had turned to see the human walk out of the kitchen and down the hallway. She was shaky on her feet but the leaden gray coloring she had began to fade into her pale coloring. She had ignored him and disappeared down the hall.

She had stayed in what he had guessed was her own room for a few hours. Randall had continued to sit there for a while and then unsurely stood up and not sure what to do had moved back to the couch and just sat down. He felt that he should leave but again he had been undecided. To help smooth things over even if it was small he had folded the blanket as neatly as he could and had placed it back in the tiny closet that she had gotten it out of earlier. As he had done that the sound of the phone ringing had him looking toward the hallway wondering if she was going to answer. The human didn't appear, so after three rings the answering machine had picked it up.

The sound of a woman's voice came over the phone. Like his human, this one had a thick accent, though she had talked with the same educated tone.

"Danielle! You little brat! Mom just called. She is bawling her eyes out. She says that you're not coming for Thanksgiving. You know how she looks forward to these holidays. And why aren't you in school? You struggle enough…. I won't be surprised that you don't grad-"

The woman was cut off with a click and Randall had heard Danielle's voice come on. "It will be my business it I don't. I'll just take the courses over again. I'm the one paying for them and I don't have any brats hanging onto my shirt tails. I'll work though it myself. I'm paying for the stupid college classes. I don't owe anyone anything! And I have something to come up! You know how hard it is for me at the stupid holidays. There isn't much I'll eat. I sure as hell don't eat ham or turkey and tofu turkey tastes awful. Mom doesn't help it either. She'll cry and whine if I bring my own food, so I'm not bothering this year. And she always asks if there are any prospects on a future husband or if I'm dating. I don't need that crap. I need to go. Bye Margot."

With that the conversation had been ended with a click as the human had hung 's head had swung to the hallway when he had heard the door open. He had quickly shut the closet door and had turned to see her coming out of a door that was past the bathroom's door. She had frozen when she had seen him standing in the living room. After a moment she continued to head down the hall. She had stopped when she was a few feet away. Her skin still had a grayish tint to it though her color had been coming back. "So, you still here?"

Randall looked down ashamed. He hated felling this low and admitting he still needed help. "I don't have anywhere to go. I'll go if you want me to. You're right…." he lifted his head and had looked her straight in the eye, "You didn't know who I am. Or what I had done, but you had still taken me in. I know I don't look like you humans and I do know what other humans would have done, and have done." Randall had paused and had lightly touched the stitched gash on his head. "You still took me in and saved my pathetic excuse of a life." he paused and looked away. When he had looked back the human had softened her glare. She had remained silent wanting for him to finish. "You touching me, it's not you, it's…. just that I hate feeling helpless."

"You're not helpless," She had told him gently. "You're just a point in your life where you need help. There's nothing wrong with asking for or needing help."

He had flicked a glance toward her, a wary look coming back. She had met his gaze equally.

"I'm sorry," he had said bluntly and a bit stiffly.

"Accepted." The human had shaken her head. "You've been through a lot. And you can trust me. Randall, you've been here for almost five days now, I'm not going to turn you over to the government or anything. I swear, I won't ever tell anyone about you. I'll do whatever I can to help and protect you from anyone else who have and may mean you any harm."

Randall had coughed in embarrassment and turned away though he was touched. "Yeah sure, thanks," He had said softly. "If there's anything I can do to help you…ask."

"There is one thing," the human had said.

"What?" he had given her a confused look.

"You can tell me who you are."

Randall's blood had run cold. He had known she would ask eventually but now that the moment was here…he didn't feel ready. He had stepped back and looked away. "Later. Not now. Later."

"Fair enough. But I will hold you to it." The human dropped the subject. "Now, why don't you sit back on the couch and I will get you something. Something you have coming to you."

Those had been her last words. Randall had sit down on the couch feeling tired while the human had disappeared into another room. He had laid his head back and had must had dozed back off, for when he had looked around again the human had been kneeling by his leg, the one that was in the vile pink cast. She had just capped a pen. He had looked at her questionly then down at the cast and then groaned.

That put him in this current position. He now glared at the bright purple and pink glitter and a great big heart that was drawn and colored in with purple glitter again then turned his great green eyes back over at the human. She was curled up in a chocolate colored overstuffed chair reading a book. She looked up and smiled sweetly at him when she heard him lightly growling.

"What? I had to add my own name on the cast. It's like tradition."

Randall just stared at her, his face in a cross between a pout and a glare.

She giggled, something he hadn't heard her do. "Has anyone told you that you look cute when you pout?"

This time Randall couldn't fight the embarrassment. It rose like a fever and before he could even stop himself he felt himself turn colors. Without even looking down at his body he knew had turned a pinkish red.

The human giggled again and thankfully didn't say anything only turning back to her book. Randall forced himself to turn back to his normal purple and lilac coloring as he tried to focus on the book that she had given him. He turned back to the story he was currently on. At first he hadn't liked the book, finding the writing style of the human strange, but after the second story he had really began to get into the stories. He finished the last story and closed the book. He leaned forward and placed it on the coffee table.

The human looked over at him. "Finished already?" She blinked at him, surprised.

"Yeah, I've always been a fast reader when I actually sat down and read. In the past few years though I have been too busy and tired to read. The stories were a little strange though." He glanced back at the book. _Reave the Just and Other Tales._

"I thought so to. His other book _The Runes of the Earth_ was a little stranger. I have that if you want it."

"No. Not right now." There was an awkward silence. "What about you? What are you reading?"

She laughed, "Nothing you'd probably like. It's some essays and journals I have to read for a class. I actually used to be fond of poetry when I was younger. Before I wanted to become a veterinarian, I wanted be a writer. A poet actually. I used to read all the poems I could get my hands on. I'll recite you a poem though, if you want?"

Randall shrugged. "Why not?"

"It's called The Mask," she straightened in her seat, closed her book and her voice took on a rhythmic melody.

"Put off that mask of burning gold With emerald eyes' Oh no my dear you make so bold To find if hearts be wild and wise, And yet not cold' I would but find what's there to find Love or deceit' It was the mask engaged your mind And after set your heart to beat Not what's behind' But lest you are my enemy I must enquire 'O no my dear let all that be What matter so there is but fire In you, in me?'"

"Interesting," Randall commented. "You know any more?" he decided to humor her. He had seen the way she had brightened up when she had talked about poetry. The stuff was never really his thing in school, but he felt that he must make up to her for his earlier imprudence with good manners.

She beamed at him then looked thoughtful. "Here's another.

Never give all the heart, for love Will hardly seem worth thinking of To passionate women if it seem Certain, and they never dream That it fades out from kiss to kiss; For everything that's lovely is But a brief, dreamy, kind delight. O never give the heart outright, For they, for all smooth lips can say, Have given their hearts up to the who could play it well enough If deaf and dumb and blind with love? He that made this knows all the cost, For he gave all his heart and lost. "

She waited moment then began another one,

"A pity beyond all telling Is hid in the heart of love: The folk who are buying and selling, The clouds on their journey above, The cold wet winds ever blowing, And the shadowy hazel grove Where mouse-gray waters are flowing, Threaten the head that I love. "

"What was the author's name?" Randall was impressed that a human could remember all that. _There's more to them then we thought._ He thought to himself.

"Yeats,"

"Who?"

"William Butler Yeats. He was an Irish poet, I studied him a little while before, him being one of my favorites."

"I see." Then a sneaky idea came to him. "You said that you wanted to be a poet? Well, I imagine that you wrote your own poems. You remember any that you had written?"

Her eyes widened. "I…uh…wasn't that good. That's one reason I abandoned it. So nothing of mine is worth repeating."

"Aww. You can't be all that bad." Randall's small smile widened. "Come on, you already told me those. Why not one of your own?"

"Uh. You know, it's time for you to take another dose of vitamins. I also need to check your gash." With that she put her book aside and jumped up and hurried to the kitchen.

Randall chuckled to his self. The human was amusing when she got flustered. He hadn't seen her get flustered like that too many times but it amused him when she turned a different color herself.

He shifted on the couch, listening to her moving around in the next room. She came back soon, the pills and first aid kit in one hand and a glass of water in another. She crossed the room and stood, watching him for a long moment, as if sizing him up. Now uncomfortable, he shifted under her gaze.

"What?"

"I'm just wondering if you're going to let me look at that gash now, or if I'm going to have to sit on you and hold you down to do it?" she said seriously.

Randall blinked at her then let out a startled laugh. "Well, if you put it that way, I guess I'll have to let you," he said.

"Good. Sitting on you might get a bit awkward," she teased then actually blushed herself.

He looked at her in amusement "Are you going to look at this thing or what?" he asked finally.

"Only if you think you can handle having a _human_ touch you."

Randall only grinned disturbingly at her.

She gave him a look and set to work on looking at the gash. He sat still his eyes closed as she worked over his head. Now that there were no more bandages there was less for her to do. While she prodded around checking for any more infections her hands were gentle.

Her hands pulled away and he opened his eyes looking up at her. She smiled down at him as she got up and gathered the supplies and sorting them back into the first-aid kit. "So, what the damage?"

"Not so bad now. It's healing. But like I had said it'll take awhile before it's completely closed. Here." She held out the four pills and he took them without comment and swallowed them down with the water.

The human took the supplies back to the kitchen. While she was in there, Randall stretched out against the couch. He wasn't used to being so immobile. He was always moving, never allowing his muscles to become so useless. He stretched again grimacing as he heard his bones pop and crack.

"What's wrong?"

He opened his eyes again and saw the human leaning against the door. The animals that had been outside all day were coming into the living room from the kitchen. The large yellow cat froze when he saw Randall and then turned and walked back out. The dog however, saw him and bounded up to him and before he could blink ran a wet stinking tongue over his one of his legs. "Hey, hey hey!"

The human laughed and shooed the dog away. It whined but went over to a large pillow in the corner of the room.

"That was Bread. I've had her for years now. She getting old but she's still hanging in there. The cat was Butter. He's much younger and is normally more curious then that."

"You named your pets Bread and Butter?"

"Yeah. I found an ad for puppies ten years ago in a bread store. They were advertising free puppies and it was the owner of the store. So I picked one out and named her Bread. Two years ago my father took a holiday with out my mother to visit me on my birthday. On the way he stopped and picked up a kitten. He was the one to name it Butter. I couldn't turn a cute fuzzy kitten out so I kept him. My father was always doing things like that. We had a pony once. It was dark brown and was really shaggy. He named it Swamp Thing. I'm actually glad he didn't name me. Who knows if I'd end up with a name like that?" She paused as looked back at Randall. "So what was wrong?""Nothing. I'm just stiff from not moving around," he admitted. "My muscles are beginning to feel tight. I need to move around. I'm not used to being still for so long."

"Hmm. How about I help work those kinks out. Massage your back. That's what's hurting right?" she said.

Randall stared bug eyed at her, "No. No, I'm fine."

"Geez, relax. It's just a massage. It won't do if you end up with muscle cramps. They're pretty painful."

"I'm sure I'll be moving around in a day or two. I'm not so tired or weak."

"And in the mean time your muscles will become tighter and when you do began to walk more, you'll end up straining something and be in more pain."

Randall saw her determined look and the way her hands rested on her hips sighed. She was right, if something wasn't done now his muscles would tense up and he would have the mother of all muscle cramps, though he wished there was a less embarrassing way to do this. "Ok, ok,"

"Go ahead and lie down on your stomach," she instructed.

Randall hesitated for only an instant before twisting around and stretched out on the couch.

The human knelt beside him. "Ready?" she asked.

Randall turned his long neck around to stare at her. "I… I guess so," he said.

She laid her hands gently on his narrow shoulders. She waited as Randall's flesh twitched. When he relaxed with just her hands resting on his shoulders she began to move her hands slowly at first, kneading the tight sore muscles in his shoulders. As he began to fully relax, she rubbed more firmly kneading her palms into the stress and pain tight muscles. She worked up his neck and back down to his shoulders then to his back. He felt her press into the muscles on his back and as she worked out the knots he rolled his eyes back in his head and felt his tongue loll round to lie outside his mouth a few centimeters. It wasn't long before he was lying boneless and half-asleep under her ministrations.

"Randall?"

"Mmm?" Randall murmured.

"Thank you."

This woke him up some. He opened his eyes and turned his head back again to look at her. "For what?"

"For helping me earlier. When I had my asthma attack. Thank you."

Randall looked away in embarrassment, but when he answered it was honest and open. "You're welcome."


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**I want to thank Alu In Chains for being my beta. Muchas gracias!**

**Also, I want to let all know that I have fan art up on DeviantART under the name BlackNaginata.**

**Also the three poems are written by E.S. Leffingwell. She has graciously let me use them in this chapter. And really I don't think they are at all that terrible. Isn't mothers the greatest?**

XXX

**Chapter 9**

Danielle sat in her study while Randall was in the bathroom. He had asked if he could take a shower and she had told him that that one bathroom was his to use. She told him help himself but just keep his leg dry. After yesterday's fight the following day had started out tense but had settled into a semi-comfortable mood. After he had woken, she had met him in the kitchen. After his confused looks at the eggs on the counter and she explained what they were, Danielle had by then figured out that wherever he came from they had the same things but by different shapes, colors and names. She fixed them both a simple omelet and after he and she finished, she had cleaned the mess. He then headed into the bathroom.

She figured he had opted out of the shower and took a bath instead. The water had shut off long ago but every time she passed by the door there was the sound of slight splashing. She used this time to do some light cleaning. The house was usually always clean but in the days since she had taken Randall in and caring for him she had been too tired and busy to clean. But since he was out off danger and out of the way, she took the time to pick up a few stacks of mail and magazines and school textbooks. She did a quick dusting over the pictures thanking god that she had never cared for knickknacks. Then she ran a sweeper thorough the house and a mop over the kitchen and her bathroom floor.

It all took less then half an hour.

Replacing the mop back, she listened again for Randall. He was still in the bathroom. She walked by the door and knocked on it. "You still alive in there?"

"Of course." The answer was slightly muffled. He said something else but Danielle had already walked by with amused smile on her face.

She had went into the study and began to put some books away. Now that Randall was more awake and wasn't sleeping the days away, she had no idea on what to do with him. She had books, but they were mostly for research and the others were types she was sure he wouldn't like. He was still wary about reading any more works by Stephen Donaldson. She had some classics and some Dean Koontz, as well as some Steven King and Anne Rice, but she didn't know how well he would take to them.

She opened a drawer and pulled out a old green leather bound book. Now that she was alone for a few minutes she took the time to drag out the old journal that she had used to fill with her own poems and ideas. Them talking about poetry last night had her thinking about her own. She sat in her office chair and wrinkled her nose as she skimmed over the old poems. She got so lost in reading them that she never heard the sound of tapping. Finally the sound of someone clearing their throat had her to jump and spin around in her chair.

Randall was leaning against the doorframe smirking at her. "What are you so jumpy for?"

"I…was distracted." She flushed in slight embarrassment and shoved the book back into its drawer.

"Uh-huh. Sure." If possible the smirk got wider with knowing. His eyes went to the drawer and then back at her. The voice had taken on a slight sarcastic tone.

Danielle just smiled nervously and stood. She walked toward him and slipped past him uneasily. Now that he was up and about she had some uneasiness. She still didn't know who or what he was. She did know that he had a temper issue, that he tried to control it and also had a touch-me-not problem. He obviously was not an animal that had the basic of functions and thoughts. He was a very intelligent being. Someone that could talk and think. She slipped past him, trying to slip past uneasily but trying not to show how nervous she was now that he was standing and clearly feeling better. As she did she noticed that though he had dried thoroughly off, the smooth purple scale shone with still slight dampness. They had darkened to a rich smoky purple, while his chest and belly was a richer lilac. They shone with growing health. Still trying to slipped past him, she noticed he was still calmly leaning against the doorframe; watching her with his large green eyes. She just smiled at him nervously. He smiled right back, the smirk turning into a wide deliberate grin. He knew. He knew he was making her nervous.

She made it past him, but stopped once she was out in the hall. His tail was stretched straight out. It wasn't tense but just held out in her way about waist level. She looked back at him and saw that he had twisted his to body around in following her and was staring back at her.

She just stared back at him, shocked by his audacity. Finally she spoke, "Can you please move your…tail?"

He tipped his head to the side slightly, "Of course." he then pulled his tail up until it settled into its natural calmed arch.

Danielle just blinked at him then slowly made her way down the hall, painfully aware that Randall had begun to follow her. Out the corner of her eye, she watched him walk with the cast. Despite grumping about it, he was starting to get around rather well with it; it being the only thing that deterred him from moving truly gracefully.

When she got into the living room she turned and looked at Randall. For once not having clue as what to do with him. He looked at her and she at him. Finally she sighed and looked at her watch. 10 in the morning. She just about groaned in despair. "I need a cup of coffee. I don't know why I didn't bother this morning."

It seemed to Danielle she had said some sort of magic word. Randall's fronds quivered slightly as he looked at her with complete interest. "Coffee you say? Think you can spare a cup or two?"

Danielle raised an eyebrow. "You drink coffee? How would…." she paused at the look on Randall's face. It was a cross between an amused and an are-you-stupid look. "You know…never mind. Don't answer that. Come on." She then turned and walked into the kitchen and gestured to the stool that she had pulled out for him. As he sat down at the table and turned to watch her, she pulled a large can of dark roasted coffee out of the cupboard and set it on the counter. She had to stretch to reach the filters. She strained as she did. She cursed under her breath. No matter how many times she fixed the coffee and placed the filters right at the edge so that she could reach them they always seemed to be pushed back in the cupboard. She felt her fingers brush the thin paper then them slip back. She dropped back down from standing on her toes. She sighed in aggravation and was fixing to turn, mumbling under her breath that after this she was rearranging things and was going to move it down a shelf. When she turned, she found Randall right behind her. Danielle felt her stomach drop. He smiled at her. It wasn't one of his former mean sarcastic ones but a simple friendly smile. She watched in amazement as he rose up using his lower arms to lean and brace himself against the counter on ether side of her. He rose up until he had rested most of his weight on his back legs. When he did so he had raised himself almost slightly over 6 feet. Almost a foot taller then he was when he stood on his four legs.

His body was just a few inches from her as he reached out and easily snagged the filters. He lowered himself and stepped back handing her the filters.

"T-thanks."

Randall's smile slipped into his former mocking smirk. "Welcome. I figured I'd better give you a hand or we'd never get that promised coffee, now would we?"

Danielle's embarrassment faded in a flash. She half glared at him, "Nice Randall. Real nice."

He stared at her in mock surprise, "I am nice. You just now finding this out about me?"

Danielle scoffed and shoved him gently her hands pressing against his smooth scaly narrow chest. She didn't use almost any force but he stepped back anyway. "Go sit. I got this."

As he walked away it seemed he couldn't help it as he quipped, "I'm sure you do."

Danielle rolled her eyes at his back but as she turned to begin to fill the back of the coffee pot with water, she found that she couldn't stop the smile from crossing her face. She finished prepping the coffee and flipped the switch. Soon the homey heavenly scent of fresh brewed coffee filled the air. Danielle watched as Randall perked up as the smell wafted through the kitchen. As she waited for the coffee to finish, she sat about rearranging some to the cabinets. She had pulled a chair over to the counters and stood on it rearranging items. She put the items that she didn't use as much on the higher shelf and the items that she did on the lower.

Randall was watching her the entire time. "If you couldn't reach the things before why did you just move them around sooner?"

"Hey, if I wanted comments from the peanut gallery I'd ask for it." Danielle stepped down from the chair and moved it back. "I sometimes procrastinate on some things. I work five days a week and some of those days I go to school then to work. I also do volunteer work at the zoo for credentials and experience, so I never have much time."

"Interesting." he paused a for a minute then continued, "So you're going to school to be an veterinarian? Why aren't you in school or at work?"

Danielle had moved back to the counter tops. The coffee was almost done so she pulled two coffee mugs off their hooks. She glanced at him. At first it had sounded that he was scolding her, but the undertone was calm and nonaccusing. Just questioning. "I took off from of the volunteer work until December. I would only miss a weekend and half of the volunteer work. I work there every Sunday and every other Saturday. I had saved up vacation time from work and took off from school a bit early before they let out for Thanksgiving vacation. I didn't know how everything would turn out with you so I covered everything. Good thing. This little 'vacation' is actually doing wonders." she poured the coffee into the cups. "How do you like your coffee?"

"Huh? Oh sometimes with sugar and screamer. Sometimes black."

Danielle raised a confused eyebrow, "Screamer?" she placed the coffee mugs on the table and then turned back to get the sugar and creamer. She sat down in the chair across from Randall. "You mean this?" she slid the creamer to him.

He picked it up and sniffed it causality. "We have different names for basically the same thing you humans have. Screamer, creamer, it's obviously the same thing. But I think I'll just have mine black this time. Besides I live on the stuff. I would've started to go into withdrawal without it." he cupped his hands around the hot mug and pulled it closer. He dipped his head down and inhaled the heavenly scent of the black liquid.

Danielle had finished stirring the creamer and sugar into her own cup and had lifted it to take a sip but got distracted by Randall. He had lovingly lifted the cup and had blown the steam away once gently. He looked like he was fixing to worship the cup or something. She sat there with her elbows on the table her own coffee in front of her face, but forgotten as she heard him actually whisper to it.

"Hello old friend."

Danielle had been holding in her laughs just couldn't do it anymore. She laughed at the expression of contentment that settled over his features. He just ignored her and she laughed with amusement he began to sip his coffee.

After her laughing spell was over, they both settled into a calm quiet serenity as they worked their way through that pot of coffee. Just as Danielle poured the last of the coffee into Randall's mug they both heard the sound of tires crunching on the gravel outside the house. Randall and Danielle stared at one other in shock. Before she could do and say anything Randall had the cast off and ace bandages unwrapped and disappeared from where he was.

Danielle let out a little yelp this time. She had seen him change colors and him patterned like her clothes but had never seen him disappear completely like that. She stood up fast and looked around in slight worry and panic. She jumped and gave a little cry when a invisible hand closed over her left wrist. Eyes opened wide from tiny slits and a mouth full of sharp teeth came into view in fount of her.

She knew her eyes were big as saucers; she was finally shocked to the core.

"Calm down!" he hissed at her.

Danielle took a deep breath and stared at the floating eyes. He looked almost like the Cheshire Cat with the eyes and wide mouth, floating in the air, only less cartoony and much more creepy. She nodded. "I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm good now."

"Great, because you better hurry. Whomever that is getting out of the car." The eyes and mouth disappeared but the pressure on her wrist remained.

Danielle heard the car doors opening and closing and now Bread barking. The dog had been sunning herself all day out on the steps and the old dog had apparently just realized that someone was in the driveway. "What about you? Your leg?"

The mouth reappeared as he spoke to her, "I'll be fine if I don't jar it around." the mouth disappeared again, this time with the pressure on her wrist.

She wanted to call to him, feeling extreme unease at his little disappearing act. But as the knocking on the door began. "Uh… one second!" Danielle scooped up the ace bandages and the pink cast and something surprisingly furry, and tossed them into the living room closet. She started toward the persisted knocking when she froze. She hurried back and rescued Butter from the closet with an apology. A low creepy and amused laugh echoed around her.

"Oh shut it Randall." she mumbled as she answered the door.

There, to her surprise, was her older sister and her two kids.

Her sister, tall and thin and properly dressed in a cream colored suit. Her long darker auburn hair was piled into a bun, the cold green eyes glared down at Danielle. "So…here you are."

"Uh… yes?"

Margot pushed past her and tugged her two kids in with her. Once inside, she let go of the five-year-old boy and the ten-year-old girl. Once cut loose from their mother they began to run amuck in the house, the five year old chasing Butter until the terrorized cat ran out the pet door and decided to take his chances in the swamp, while the chubby girl headed straight for the kitchen.

Danielle open her mouth to protest but was cut off by her sister's hand on her shoulder. She turned to her sister, "So, any particular reason you're calling, or did you just need someone to mentally scar?"

"Any particular reason? My sister is skipping out on work and school. Mom asked if I could swing a trip up here." She looked around the house, "I see you have changed the colors, nice. I actually approve."

"I have plans on actually going more earthy or maybe with more blue, greens and purples."

Margot wrinkled her fine nose, "I seriously hope that you're joking." she stared at Danielle's blank face and rolled her eyes, "Of course." she strolled over and looked down at the couch then flipped the cushion to sit on the other side. Sitting down, she crossed her long smooth legs and stared up at Danielle. "I never could understand why you would continue to live out here in the swamp. We both tried hard not to become as backwards as mom. That's why we went to college. You to vet school and me to business. Now, one of the reasons I came, is that mom is wanting to have dinner at my place this year. New Orleans is close, so whatever plans you may have you can at least make it to New Orleans."

"I _do_ have plans. Why is that so hard to understand? I'm a legal adult and do have a life of my own. I don't have to show up every time. I've always sent the cards and presents, I call. I'm still in school." Danielle tried to plead.

Margot scoffed, "You're not in school, remember?"

"I just took a few early weeks off. I wanted so time alone. I haven't had a break since we went to Mardi Gra five years ago."

"Which I still blame you for."

Danielle smirked at her sister. "We _both_ were drunk, and if I remember correctly, it was_ your_ idea to get the tattoos. You still have yours?"

"Yes. I would have had it removed long ago. Funny, I don't remember it hurting as much as getting it then possibly having it removed. Besides it'll scar. I still don't understand why you got something as ugly as scales."

"Hey I was drunk too. I thought it was a good idea at the time." she rubbed the back of her neck, were a triangle of green scales was tattooed into her lower neck and shoulders. It _had _been a good idea at the time, but now she wasn't so sure. She still loved the reptiles and animals, but she questioned the wisdom of having silly scale tattoos.

A loud crash had Danielle to jump. Her first thought was Randall but the loud "Opps" from the girl in the kitchen had her sighing in relief.

"So?" Julie, the oldest child asked, coming out of the kitchen with a big bag of cookies and Randall's mug. She made herself at home on the chocolate chair while she finished off the rest of Randall's coffee and munched on the bag of cookies. "Got yourself a boyfriend yet.. .A _real _one, that is?"

"None of your business," she growled, "Besides you're ten, you're too young to worry about boys."

The brat just smirked at her and popped another cookie in her mouth. The boy, done wandering around the house came back into the living room and flopped down on his sister and they both began to fight over the cookies.

"That's another thing I came to see you about. Mom wanted to know if you have any one in mind? _I _told her that the only way you would even consider looking at a man, is if he had scales and a tail." Margot laughed cruelly and her daughter joined in.

Danielle was hurt by that last comment and hurt deep within.

"Yeah, well…"

"Enough of this chatter. The last reason I'm here is because right now on the real estate market, little homes like this is going big, especially if it's out here in the swamp, though I can't see why anyone would want to live out here." Margot stood up and gracefully walked over to Danielle. "You can make a bunch of money and move closer the city."

"I'm not selling. I like it out here."

Margot sated at her then shrugged, "Your choice. Julie, get Marshall into the car."

The boy shrieked and jumped up and ran to the back of the house.

"Go get him!" Margot snapped at her daughter.

The girl whined but got out of the chair, as she passed by Danielle she shoved the almost empty cookie bag into her hands then went on down the hall were the boy had run to. A few seconds later there was blood chilling screams and the two kids tore down the hallway like something was after them. They tore out of the house and ran to the black BMW in the driveway.

Margot blinked. "What on earth? Well, I hope you're happy Danielle, but you have just made this coming holiday torture for me. Mom will forever be complaining to me about you…but then… that's not too bad is it? I mean it's going to be about you." she turned and gracefully began to walk away when suddenly she tripped and fell disgracefully on her face. Danielle hid her giggles behind her hand as her snobby sister picked herself up and huffed and puffed her way out and to the vehicle and tore off down the road. Danielle leaned against the door in relief. "Thank god," she groaned. She straightened, "Ok Randall…where are you?"

"In here." his voice came from down the hall and from….

Shrill alarms went off in Danielle's head as she pondered the implications, dashing to her study with commendable speed and virtually ripping the door off of its hinges.

"Stop right there!" she screeched upon seeing Randall somehow stretched out in the office chair look quite smug and comfortable. He had the old green book in his hands, opened to the middle.

"Oh, hi there." he greeted her without the slightest hint of shock at her arrival, nor remorse for reading her soul uninvited.

"Randall, please stop reading!" she pleaded desperately. No one but her had ever read those poems and here he was reading them.

"Oh, it's too late for that. I just finished." he continued blithely, standing up and grinning at her.

She froze, a small whimper escaping her throat. "You read it?"

"Uh-huh."

"All of it?"

"Yup."

"Even the last pages?"

"You bet. Every last word." he nodded, a wide grin on his face.

Danielle stomped over and tried to grab for the book and missed as he yanked it away. She tried again and this time his tail wrapped around it and he quickly moved out of her way and moved to the wall and then climbed easily up the wall. He stayed out of reach as he took the book and opened it, ignoring her shocked look on her face. "Yeah, you know I was never much into poetry, but I did find these three rather amusing." Before she could say anything to stop him he began to read off said poems.

"Where's my head

Someone find my head

Too many voices

Whispering in my ear

My head's not there

Where's my head

That's right, that's wrong

Doesn't anybody care?

My heads not there.

Where's my head

There's no light at the end of the tunnel

My head is in a funnel

Where's my head

Someone find my head

Slipping away, draining away

My head's not there."

He grinned down at Danielle who looked like she was physical pain, and began another poem.

"Meet me up by the hill

Up by the cemetery

Now don't you tarry

Or it could get scary

To take that puff

And all that stuff

The dead don't tell

Nor do they sell

Keep your soul at peace

Your mind at ease

So met me up by the hill

Up by the cemetery"

"And last but not least… the last one," he cleared his throat and read the poem off clearly,

"New day; New age

Everything changes

For good, for worst

Nothing stays the same

What's this?

What's this?

The world keeps spinning

We need to start mending

What's this?

Old day; old age

Sounds are different

For love, for hate

Takes a lot for the heart to understand

What's this?

The world keeps spinning

We need to start mending

What's this?

Future days; past days

Living up to these days

Has my head in a spin

Do I start again?

What's this?

The world keeps spinning

We need to start mending

What's this?"

Finally she couldn't take it any more. "All right! That's it! Get it out of your system! Tease me! Torment me!" she wailed, sounding for all the world like a prisoner on death row.

Randall twisted until he was hanging from the ceiling front of her. "But I liked it." he smiled at her gently.

"What?"

"I liked it." he repeated.

"But most men don't like that stuff. Those poems were horrible."

"I know… that's why I liked them." he said with an evil gleam in his eyes.

"Gee thanks. Now can I have it?"

"Sure." he nonchalantly handed it over.

Danielle snatched to book away and shoved it into the drawer. "Ok, they're gone. Now please come down. We need to put the ace bandages and cast back on you."

"And she said please." he said sassily.

"Get your scaly butt down here!" she snapped, more then a little peeved at the events of the day.

"That's more like it." he twisted around and carefully dropped from the wall. He followed her limping slightly.

XXX

After Danielle got his leg rewrapped, his leg was beginning to throb, so he reached for solace in his unfinished cup of coffee, only to find that someone had taken the liberty of finishing it off. He growled as Danielle cleaned up a mess of cookie crumbs.

"Snap out of it, I imagine you got your revenge earlier. I take that was you that sacred them?"

Randall chuckled low and slightly evilly, "Oh yeah. It was once my job. One I did rather well I might add. It's good to see that I haven't lost it." He chuckled boastfully.

"Your job?" she swept the last of the crumbs up and threw them away. She put the broom and dustpan away. "Ok Randall, it's time that you tell me. Who are you? What are you?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**I want to thank Alu In Chains for being my beta. Muchas gracias!**

**Also, I want to let all know that I have fan art up on DeviantART under the name BlackNaginata.**

**Ok Randall finally tells Danielle where he came from. Is the reaction what anyone expected? **

XXXX

Those words sent chills up his spine. He wanted to continue to put explaining all the complications of what had led to his banishment off, but the with way the human was looking at him, he knew she would not be deterred. Not this time. He swallowed hard and nodded. "Fine."

The human nodded back at him. "Good. Let's go to the living room, from the looks of it, it may be long. Might as well get comfortable."

Randall didn't say anything. He just stood and walked into the living room and took his place on the couch. The human settled into the brown chair that she seemed to favor. He distracted his self by running his three fingered hands over the cushions. The cream colored couch was old but well cared for, the material still soft and smooth. He had his head down, trying to keep wits and nerves about him. He had no idea of what her reactions would be. He had easily figured out that the main reason that she had saved him from the side of the road, was that she had though he had been an animal. Though she soon learned he was not, she had still shown no indications of finishing the job, calling anyone, or even simply tossing him out. She had continued to care for him, and wonderfully he realized. The gash and cracked skull was finally healing though it was still very tender to the touch, the leg was healing nicely, the swelling down and only faint bruises. That nasty vitamin goop that she had fed him had clearly worked some kind of magic. His cold that had flared up, had backed off to the point that he only felt the slight tickle of a cough in the back of his throat.

She had saved him, not knowing about him, but now that he had shown that he was clearly not somme dumb animal she would want to know. She deserved to know, even if it was something she more then likely would regret.

Randall looked up from staring down at the carpet. He planted a detached look on his face and looked her plainly in the eye.

"You will do better by understanding this with an open mind. You understand?" he began.

The human looked unsure for a moment but nodded. "I'll have to won't I?"

"Yes," he said simply. He took a deep breath preparing himself. "You asked who I am. I am Randall Boggs and I am a Monster. I came from a place best explain as a parallel universe. This place is called the Monster World. I once lived in a city called Monstropolis, the largest in this world. There I worked as a 'Scarer'. As a Scarer, I worked in the largest scare factory in the Monster World, a place called Monsters Incorporated . There, me, along with hundreds of other Scaers, we worked to collect screams. Human children's screams. We use these screams to power our dimension. This has been happening for quite a long time. Many centuries in fact.. We, the Scarers would enter into this world via closet door, scare the child or children in that room then leave. You with me so far?" he paused a minute to allow this sink into the human.

She had been staring at him. "You are a monster. An actual species that lives on the boarder of my world. Children are basically your our own power plant. The screams you collect from scaring children are used to power your own world. Yeah, I'm with you." she said this hesitantly.

"Good, 'cause this is were it gets…complicated." he took a deep breath again. "I have been working my tail off to become what we all called, "Top Scarer". I finally did so, and held that position for a year and a half. Until a monster was hired and in a short span of a month he had surpassed my scores. His little 'friend' and assistant didn't help matters. Every time when I slipped behind, his foul mouth would fly out insults and…." Randall paused to calm his self down. It would not do to slip into a rage in front to the human. She would probably already think the worst of him when he tells her his little secret. Flying into a rage before hand…not a good idea.

"Let's just say that all he ever did was boast of how great his partner was at scaring. It began to rub the wrong way so to speak. Anyway, it wasn't long after I began to lose my top position that the CEO of the company approached me and offered me a chance. See, As years went by the children we have been scaring, it began to seem that many of them aren't that scared anymore, so the ever looming promise of energy shortage began to threaten our world, promising to send it back to the dark ages. So, the CEO gave me a promise of many things. A chance at moving up higher in a well renowned company; higher then any member of my own family had been able to get, no matter how hard we tried. An assistant's executive position in the company. And something I just wanted. Respect and admiration." Randall paused and closed his eyes, clinching his teeth. If only he hadn't been so naive. Not opening his eyes he began again, " The monster approached me because he knew about of my degree in mechanical engineering. He had an idea and he wanted me to design and build it."

"I did. You see… I've been working two and half years on an invention that he told me will reindustrialize the whole Monster World. He told me what he wanted, how he wanted it to work and I built it. I built a machine that he named the Scream Extractor. This supposed device was to extract children's screams, gathering amounts of screams all the Scarers collected in one month from just one child!"

He opened his eyes and what he had feared was written on the human's face. Horror. Her eyes were staring wide eyed at him.

A slight panicked look came over his face, "Please! Hear me out. Just hear me out!"

The human swallowed hard and her lips trembling, she slowly nodded.

Randall quickly started again, almost in a rush. "Me and the CEO was to test it with one of my regular children. A child that could help us with all our problems. Understand that once used the child was to be sent back to her room, possibly shaken, but not harmed. _I _never wanted any long-term effects or dastardly effects such as….nothing was supposed to happen…but what happened was that when I went to get the child she was gone from her room. Somehow she was let into my world where she caused havoc among the monsters. I found out that it was the two monsters that had bumped me from Top Scaerer position had let her out and was carting her around. Why, I didn't know, not until later. They were trying to put her back into her door. If only I had realized this and allowed them to do so, that particular child would not have had any harm come to her. It all boiled down to where the machine was just about to be used on her. I was too deep into this pit; I was beginning to feel physically sick from all of this. By then I just wanted to get this over and done with. Right before the machine reached her the monster that the human child had bonded to appeared again. He snapped the machine off of it's hinges and almost crushed us. I was then ordered to 'make sure of no witnesses'. I gladly attacked the big lug. I will not lie. All the years and hard work and lost sleep and personal sacrifices was destroyed in a mere ten seconds. I gladly beat the giant fur rug around. The chase then led me on through the factory where the final confrontation happened. I almost had him, I was too stressed out to care at this point of course. I wouldn't do this at all normally, but I tried to send him to a certain death. All I wanted was to get him out of the way so I could take the kid back to her door. I _never_ wanted anyone harmed, and by then the child was useless. The monster had seen to that when he destroyed the machine. But the child finally pushed her own fear of me aside and…. distracted…. me long enough for the monster to pin me. It was over. They choose a door and threw me through it and from there I was beaten upside the head and dumped. Then you found me." Randall fell quiet staring at the human.

She was staring at him, her face blank. A first he wondered if she didn't understand until a very familiar look came on her face.

Fear.

He could see her shaking in the chair slightly. He stayed as still as he could. The world seemed to slow and Randall could feel his heart beat heavily in his chest and blood pound in his ears. He found that he cared what she thought about him.

A sharp intake of air had him refocusing on the human. She had stood up and very shakily moved so that she was past him and was standing in the wide doorway of between the kitchen and living room. He tensed his muscles. "Pleas-"

"Stop. Don't say anything. Don't talk to me. Don't talk to me….at least not right now. I-I need to be alone." her once pleasant alto voice was rough and scratchy with fear and unease.

He watched as she turned and darted into the kitchen and he heard the back door slam.

He winced at the noise. He had told her. And her reaction was something he should have expected. He, like other monsters had thought humans were unfeeling and not sentient. But in the short time he had spent watching that human child and now being in the care of this adult human, he now saw them in a different light. All those history books and evolution tales about them being evolved from humans were now beginning to make sense. Humans were beginning to seem just like monsters.

But he was still hurt by her reaction. He felt his jaw clinch. _So what, _he thought. He may be slightly evolved from humans, it didn't mean that he was one. Randall snorted and crossed his arms, stood and began to pace the room deep in thought. _Just because they are clearly sentient, we ,__**I**__, am much more evolved. Better then them_. Anger and irritation rose. That was fine by him. It was a feeling that had been becoming more and more familiar in the past years. He stopped pacing and looked around. The clock on the wall read almost 5'o clock in the evening. The day had past in a blur. He looked toward the window and saw that the setting sun lit the room ablaze. He shuddered feeling a strange shiver crept it's way down his spine. He flicked his tail in annoyance and ran a hand over his head, brushing his fronds back. He paused when he felt the raised puckered stitched flesh of the gash. He shuddered again as he stared out the window, almost into the setting sun.

He should have been dead.

Dead.

If it wasn't for Waternoose, Sullivan and Wazowski, he'd still be back Monstropolis. If everything had gone right and Waternoose, had delivered on his promises, he'd would've had the life he'd always dreamed of. If it wasn't for Sullivan, and Wazowski he wouldn't be banished. All assistants knew which door led were. It was their job. Wazowski had picked out the door and he was banished to a place he had INTEND for him to be killed. He was thrown into a trailer located in in this God forsaken Louisiana state. He was almost killed too. The cracked skull told him that. He tossed his head back and at the last minute the frustrated scream he was planning on letting loose was turned into a loud gurgled growl. He had caught sight of the human crossing the yard and walk around the back. He whipped his head around and looked to the kitchen where the back door was. When he had turned his head, the light from the setting sun caught his eyes and the emerald green coloring flashed to a reddish gold.

He turned away from the window, feeling his frustration and anger fade. He felt…drained. Tired and helpless. He was fully lost and as much as he hated it he depended on the human. Her reaction was understandable. _Let her think, hopefully she'll prove still forgiving and at least not turn him out. At least not yet. _

He slowly made his way through the living room and began his search of the human.

XXXX

She didn't know what she expected to hear. What she was told was something so farfetched that she couldn't help but believe it. A parallel universe. A place called the Monster World and a city called Monstropolis. It sounded completely ridicules, but she believed it. If some human had been telling her this, she'd tell them that they have a very active imagination. But this was told by the 'animal' she had saved. Even when he had started talking she still didn't know what to think.

So Randall isn't some government experiment, but an actual separate sentient species. One that lived on the edged of a parallel universe. Actually a monster.

That though wasn't what bothered her. It was what he told her what had led him here. True, she never cared for children, finding her own niece and nephew little terrors, but she never wanted any harm come to any child no matter how much of a brat they were. This, monster, Randall, had been part of a race that scared children to get energy, and that he had helped build some machine to take even more screams. It sounded barbaric.

As Danielle walked around her property then headed to the barn , she found she didn't know what to do. She walked in, flipped the large power box. The barn lit up. She wandered in and walked up to the stall that once housed Swamp Thing two years ago and then most recently Randall. The old blankets that she had used to spread over the dirt was still lying there. She hadn't had time to remember them and pick them up. She did this now, her mind on automatic. She opened the door to the stall and walked in and picked up one of the blankets. She shook it out and half folded it to make carrying it easier when she would take them in to wash. The next one was a old white blanket. She did the same, she picked it up and shook it out but stopped when she saw the large dried blood stains. She held the blanket and looked down at the rusty brown stains. The blood would never come out now. It was ruined.

For some reason this made her want to cry.

She sank down and ended up sitting in the dirt, the blood stained blanket still clenched in her hands. She still didn't know what to do. Most people would call someone or throw him out. _But_, a little voice whispered to her, _most people wouldn't have even helped him to began with. You did._

Yes, she did. Not knowing what he had done. He could've easily lied, that was easy to see. He could've spun a lie so great that she'd believe it. But he hadn't. He clearly must have told her the truth. He clearly wanted someone to hear his side of the story. But she couldn't get the thought out of her head. What if he had succeeded? What if the machine had worked? Her own little niece and nephew would be two of millions that the machine would've been used on. And the very monster that she had saved would've been behind it.

Danielle shudder violently. She should just send him on his way. She won't call or tell anyone, but she should tell him that he should go. _That's what I should do. _She thought, but even as she thought this her legs wouldn't obey her commands to stand. She was still sitting on the dirt.

She looked back down at the blood drenched blanket and shuddered, biting her lip. Even if he had done all that, did he deserved to be banished and tossed into a place where he had almost died? She knew those people. They ate gaters. The stupid people must have thought he was one. She had at first. It then dawned on her. They would've ate him. A sentient creature that other then looks and some special abilities, was just like a human, and they would've ate him!

Danielle felt her stomach lurch and she fought to kept from even gagging. She remembered how he looked when she had first saw him. He had been borderline malnourished and much too thin for his size. He still was but was getting better. He had been sick as well. That didn't click right with her. If he had enjoyed every minute of that machine then he wouldn't let himself go so far. That CEO of his must have pushed to him almost to breaking point.

She remembered his face when he began to tell her. It had been blank at first, but the expression had changed. she had seen anger at the two other monsters that he had mentioned. But he had pushed that down. She had seen him struggle to get his emotions under control, when he had mentioned that one of the monster would insult him. There was something else there. Like he had always had to deal with such…people. She had seen the pride when he had mentioned the he was entrusted to build that….Scream Extractor. She shuddered at the name. she had never even seen the thing, and even she, an adult found the mere name of it terrifying.

She had seen the pride, but she had also seen that the pride had turned to disgust at it. Danielle held onto that image. The disgust at the machine. And when he told her that he had never intended anyone to be hurt, he had stared straight at her, his face and eyes showing full regret.

Danielle dropped her head into her hands and groaned out loud. She stopped when she heard the barn door creak open. She was up in a flash and looked nervously toward the doors. She saw Randall poking his large head around the door, his eyes scanning the barn. He spotted her and slowly slipped inside and carefully and slowly walked toward her.

Danielle shook but stood her ground. He stopped right outside the closed stall door. He just stared at her.

"So now you know."

Danielle saw that her hesitation was beginning to get to him, so she quickly answered. "Yes." Then she couldn't help it anymore. "Are you freaking kidding me?" she screamed.

Randall blinked at her and opened his mouth, but she wasn't done. "I mean, you could've said no! You didn't have to build it!"

His eyes narrowed in aggravation.

Suddenly he curled his body backwards in a quick slither and leaped over the door. He had annoyance and hurt plastered on his face. He leapt over the stall door and grabbed a hold of her and pushed her back into the far wall. The force sent herself and him flying into the barn's wall. He stood on his back legs, lifting her and pinning her on the wooden surface.

Danielle gasped. The suddenness of it had startled her and with the shuffling, dust had stirred up making it hard for her to breath. She began to cough and wheeze. She felt Randall's hand reach into her right pocket and fish out the gray inhaler. He let go of her right hand and handed it to her. She jammed the inhaler into her mouth and fired a blast off and into her lungs. After a few minutes her coughing and wheezing eased.

"Better?" the question was cold and Danielle winced but nodded.

_If he is thinking this little stunt is earning him any brownie points then he'd better think again. _She didn't voice this thought though. The annoyance on his face told her that it would not be very smart if she did.

"Now. I want you to understand this. I could've said no, that much is very true, but understand that, WE, _**I **_thought you humans were just some stupid species. I _know_ you thought I was too. Yes, we used your children for power by scaring them. But _I _have _NEVER_ harmed any child. I NEVER planned to. The machine I built was never met to harm any children. Even the other two monsters I never wanted harmed."

Suddenly he sighed heavily and lowered himself away from her, letting her feet drop gently onto the dirt. He still kept her shoulders pinned to the wall with his top arms. He looked at her. "Please understand that I _never_ intended for it to go that far. When the machine was destroyed, I snapped. I had worked for two and half years on the thing. It was my breaking point and not a finer moment I will admit this. If it makes you feel better, I will confess that it is partly my fault for not listening to my gut and not watching the signs."

Danielle stared back into his eyes uneasily. Her mother had always told her, that while the face and voice can lie, the eyes never could. His green eyes were staring right back into her own.

She could see it.

The hurt, the remorse, the sadness, the hopelessness, the anger. He was begging her to believe him.

The eyes does not lie.

She believed him.

Danielle sagged, her own energy gone. "How do you want me to help you?"

"You believe me?"

Danielle nodded without hesitation.

Randall breathed a great sigh of relief and a half choked sob of disbelief croaked out, "Thank you."

"Oh Randall. Well, I think the first step is to help you get back on your feet. You still have a ways to go before you're fully healed. Then we'll think of some way to get you back." Danielle brushed herself off.

"Really? That would be wonderful. I really do appreciate this." Randall couldn't help the big grin of relief from splitting his face in two.

"You better." Danielle poked his chest. "Because I sure didn't appreciate being shoved like that."

Randall froze. "Oh that. I am very sorry about that." He sent her a look.

"No, no don't give me that look. Now let's go in. It's going to start to get cold." Danielle shivered.

"Cold? It's not that cold." Randall eyed her as he followed her out of the stall.

"Yes it is to me. When you've been here a little longer you'll began to think it's cold too." Danielle snorted, "I've seen Northerners come down here in March and April wearing t-shirts and shorts, while the rest of us is freezing _our_ tails off."

Randall sniggered at this image but otherwise kept his mouth shut. They walked out of the stall and Danielle bent to pick up two blankets. She shoved a blue one into his arms.

"Here hold this." She then took another one that was white and had the blood stains on it.

He looked at it and shuddered. "Is that….?"

Danielle nodded. "Yes. You lost a lot of blood that night. The blue one is not ruined too bad, but the white one is." she wadded the blanket up and shoved it into a barrel. "I'll burn this tomorrow morning. Come on."

Randall followed her out of the barn still carrying the dusty blanket. He waited as she turned the lights out and closed the barn doors. As she turned the latch she laughed suddenly.

"What?"

"I was just thinking. All that you told me…it was beginning to sound a lot like a movie." She sniggered to herself a bit more. She was still slightly at unease but they would have to work on trust now.

Randall just shook his head as he followed her across the yard limping slightly with the cast. A thought can to mind. He hadn't mentioned it even though it used to be a rather big part of the monster's life. "Well, how about this? Ever since monsters were little we were told that you all were toxic."

Danielle froze and turned back looking at him with a 'are you kidding me' look.

He smiled at her. "You heard me. I used to believe that human children were toxic. It was actually a lie created long ago to help keep our world separate from yours. I believed this lie until…." his smile fade some, "I was recruited to build the machine. The CEO told me of the lie." he took a deep breath then the smile returned. "We have been taught since our own early childhoods how awful human children were."

Danielle looked at him as if he had grown chicken out the top of his head then burst out laughing. "Oh my god! Really? They all believed we were toxic?"

Randall grinned. "Uh-huh, I will admit I believed it too though I had my own suspicions."

Danielle turned back around and began walking back to the house. She shook her head and called back still snickering, "And now?"

"Not so much." He answered as he entered the house behind her and closed the door.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**I want to thank Alu In Chains for being my beta. Muchas gracias!**

**Also, I want to let all know that I have fan art up on DeviantART under the name BlackNaginata.**

**This is one of my favorite chapters so far.**

**Chapter 11**

XXXX

Danielle groaned as she rolled over in her bed. She really didn't want to get up. Looking over at the clock she saw that it was already ten in the morning. She closed her eyes again. She had slept in late. Again. She had stayed up quite late last night working on a theses that had been sent to her. She still hadn't finished and for the life of her she couldn't really get the concept of why trigonometry had _anything_ to do with the veterinary field. She had been spending the last three nights with books up to her ears. Last night she had gone to bed at three in the morning.

Rolling out of bed, she made her way to her bathroom, dragging every step of the way. She looked in the mirror and winced at her reflection. The dark blue bags that had disappeared for a few days since she had been getting more sleep then she ever had, even when Randall had been touch and go, were back in just the matter of three days. She tugged on her shoulder length light auburn hair and shrugged and turned to the shower.

She stepped into the shower and groaned as the hot water hit her tense muscles. She quickly washed her hair and climbed out of the shower. She toweled herself off and went into her bedroom to find some clothes. She settled on a green blouse and a pair of old faded jeans. She pulled her wet hair back in a small ponytail and padded barefoot to the door. She paused, one hand on the doorknob and the other on the small lock. Feeling shame she unlocked the door. In the last few days since Randall had told her of his involvement that had led to his banishment she had taken to locking her door. She felt the burning shame of not fully trusting him. She may have believed that he really felt remorse but belief, trust and feeling unease was drawing a fine line. Plus he had shown that he could turn invisible. She wasn't quite ready to fully trust him yet now that he was moving around. She quickly flicked the lock and opened the door. Bread and Butter, both used to sleeping in the bed with her was laying right by the door. They looked up at her with accusing eyes.

"Please," she whispered down at them. "I don't need anymore guilt right now."

She tipped toed around them and down the hall. She peaked into the extra bedroom that Randall had been using. The bed was empty and made. Now that he was slowly gaining his strength back he wasn't sleeping in as he once had. She closed the door and continued on down the hall. As she did, the rich deep scent of coffee filled the air. Arching a brow she went into the kitchen. Randall was sitting on his stool, a mug in his hands. He had his head in a forward position that Danielle was coming to recognized as his normal stance, though sometimes it made her own shoulders and neck ache from just looking at him.

He lifted his head up higher and turned to look over at her. "So…it's alive?"

Danielle shot him a dirty look. "Oh ha ha." She made her way over to the counter were the coffee pot sat. She pulled out her favorite cup and poured herself a cup of the steaming rich coffee. She carried it back over to the table. She sat down with a tired sigh. "Sorry I wasn't up earlier. Glad to see you had no problems with the coffee pot."

"I can do some things myself. I'm not that helpless. I think I can manage to work a simple human's coffee pot." Randall snipped as he sipped his coffee.

"Oh yeah. I forgot. A human's coffee pot must be so inferior to the _lizard_ that built a machine that would have _sucked_ the screams out of children," Danielle grumped right back.

Their coffee was finished in silence.

Xxx

Later when a light breakfast was over and Randall was handing her the last dish to put away, Danielle happened to glance at Randall's head. She closed the cabinet door and walked up to Randall. "Hold still." she said.

He placed the dishtowel on the counter. "What? Why?"

"I want to check those smaller cuts." She told him.

Randall frowned at her but stood still as she tipped and moved his head around gently. She looked closely the three cuts that graced his head. The two that was on his left side, one being far back on his cheek and one under it. She then turned to the right side and looked at the third one that was just under his bottom lip. She then stepped back and looked at him. She gave him a small smile. "If you think you can put up with it, I believe I can take the stitches out of these smaller gashes. They had closed nicely."

"I can 'put up with it'. When do you want to do this then?" Randall asked. He wasn't too keen on the thought of some more pain, but he realized that this was a good step in the right direction.

"Right now. Sit back on the stool and I'll gather the supplies." Danielle turned from him while he made his way to the stool. She pulled the first aid box out and placed it on the table. She then spread a few sheets of paper towels out on the table and opened the metal box. She pulled out a pair of tweezers and the small shape scissors. Running them under hot water after she washed her hands, and returned to the table and laid them on the paper towels. Finally finished she turned to Randall's head. "Ok. This shouldn't hurt too much. Just some slight pressure. Ready?"

Randall heaved a sigh and rolled his green eyes up at her. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"All right." with that Danielle began to clip the black thread on the gash on his left cheek. When every strand was clipped, she took the tweezers and grasped a thread and with a small hard yank she tugged the thread out.

Randall yelped in slight pain and surprise.

Danielle winced, "I'm sorry." she moved her hands back.

Randall closed his eyes. "It's fine. I'll live. Let's just get this over with fast."

Danielle nodded and as fast as she could, she yanked the threads out. Randall didn't yelp or said a word but he would wince and kept his eyes squeezed shut. While she pulled the stitches and biting her bottom lip, she noticed a small sheen of sweat had started to stand out on his sagittal crest. She pulled the last one and went to the small linen closet in the far part of the kitchen next to the washer and dryer. She pulled a clean towel out. She looked over at Randall. He still had his eyes closed and all four hands were clinched into fists. She knew he was no weakling, but having the stitches pulled was not that painful. Though she had to realize he probably had enough pain to last awhile and the apprehension of pain was making him nervous and to wince. She walked back over with the towel and stood in front of him and gently wiped his forehead just below his first frond. Randall opened his eyes and gave her a half crooked smile of thanks. He took the towel from her and finished wiping his head.

The next two sets of stitches were easier to pull loose. Randall had relaxed by then to the point that he even left his eyes open. He didn't flinch but sat on the stool calmly as Danielle pulled the last thread and wiped a clean damp washcloth over the three gashes then followed up with antibiotic cream.

She stepped back and looked over his head with a critical eye. They were only open a fraction not even enough for a band-aid. They had healed nicely and she felt proud at her self for that fact. They may only even leave a very small scar. "They're healing nicely. Even the big one, though it'll be another week or week and half before I will even consider taking the stitches out. You've been cleaning it like I told you?"

Randall stood and nodded. "Of course _mother." _he said rather nastily.

Danielle rolled her eyes. He was so confusing! Nice one minute rude the next. "Fine. So what are your plans today? I really need to work on the theses some more. You could watch TV, I still have some books if you want them."

"I may walk some outside. I'll find something to amuse me. You go do that paper. I don't need you to nursemaid me." Randall looked away from her toward the back door.

"Do what you want. I'm not stopping you." Danielle snipped right back. She glared at him and him back at her. Finally she broke away and stormed off to her study.

She didn't know what she was going to do with him. She never had _anyone_ stay with her as long as Randall has. He didn't seem like the type that should be allowed to be bored. And she knew he was getting bored. From what he had told her a few days ago, he had come from the world where he had clearly had a job and was working on that machine. He had had his own life that kept him busy and now he was thrown into a place where he had nothing to do.

Danielle collapsed in her office chair in the study. Books would only last so long as would TV. What else did she have? She shook her head. She'll think of that later. Right now she really needed to work on that paper. She needed to get good points on this paper. It was her last one for the year and if she wanted to graduate in May then she had better get high marks since it consisted of half of her grade.

She placed her black reading glasses on and opened her laptop and books and preceded to stress herself out.

Danielle was completely engrossed in her theses that at first the squeak didn't bother her. But the squeaks soon became annoying. She missed typed her sentence and tried to fix it. It didn't work. Looking at her notes she began to read them wrong. Curling her toes in frustration she continued to try make sense of what she was reading. When she realized that she had read the same sentence ten times she broke.

"Bread! You better stop that!" she yelled, though in the back of her mind she remembered that Bread had never cared for squeak toys so why would she be playing with one now?

"Sorry toots, it's not the dog." Randall's amused voice sounded behind her.

Danielle spun the chair around to see Randall leaning against the doorframe. An old white bone shaped squeak toy was in one of his hands while the other set was crossed. He just smiled calmly at her while Bread was sitting at his feet looking up at him with interest.

"Toots?" she raised an eyebrow.

Randall just grinned wider at her.

Danielle turned back in her chair. She decided not to let his behavior get to her. As she tried again to work on the paper she couldn't help but be painfully aware of him still standing in the doorway. Plus he had also begun to squeeze the dog toy repeatedly. Finally she snarled over her shoulder. "Do you _mind?_ That's really annoying." She pulled her glasses off and rubbed the bridge of her nose then replaced them.

"I know. But I find it…interesting. Besides it's helping with my nerves." he answered smartly.

"It isn't mine." Danielle growled while she tried to continue reading.

"Be careful. You might blow a gasket."

Danielle clenched her jaw. He could be such an ass! Suddenly she remembered something. He had said he had a degree in mechanical engineering. If she was correct that called for a lot of knowledge in math. She turned and smiled sweetly at him. "Oh Randall," she said in a singsong voice.

"What do you want?" he stopped squeezing the toy and looked at her warily.

"You told me that you had a degree in mechanical engineering. Think you could give me a hand here? You do have four."

Randall chuckled a little at her quip, but waved a hand at her. "Na. If I helped you, you would never learn, now would you? It's not my problem."

Danielle just smirked. "You probably wouldn't be able to understand any _human_ trigonometric functions anyway. That big brain of yours is just for show then huh?" her smirk turned into a smug grin of her own when she saw Randall slowly turn his head toward her with an shocked look.

He marched over as gracefully as he could with the pink cast on his leg. He stared at her then at the screen of the computer. "I think I can understand _human_ math. What do you need help with?"

Danielle laughed to herself inaudibility. "I have to write a hundred page theses on trigonometric functions."

"What do you need to know?"

"Well, I could really use a decent definition for trigonometric. The best I can come up with includes the functions of an arc expressed as a ratio of the two sides of a right triangle and that just won't do."

Randall rolled his eyes and mumbled something about humans and provided Danielle with a definition then proceeded to launch into a lecture on how the six basic trigonometric functions tabulated related them to one another and how they can equivalently be defined as the lengths of various line segments from a unit circle.

Danielle listened with all ears and scribbled the notes down while she watched him talk about something that way surpassed her knowledge. For a minute she paused and just watched him talk. He was so expressive with his body. The way he moved the waves of his hands, the little flicks of the tail. He was standing in the afternoon sunlight that was coming in through the blinds. The sun hit his scales and they glinted in the light a show of rainbowed color.

"Did you get that?"

Danielle jerked. "What?"

"I said did you get that last bit?" He looked at her in suspicion.

Danielle blushed. "Ah…no. Can you repeat it?"

Randall rolled his eyes and sighed. "I said that the sine of an angle gives the length of the _y_-component of the triangle, the cosine gives the length of the _x_-component, and that the tangent function gives the slope which is the _y_-component divided by the _x_-component. You get that now?"

Danielle scribbled the notes down. She looked at the five pages worth of notes. "Wow Randall. This is wonderful. Thanks a bunch."

Randall's wide face split into a smug grin that told her both of his ego and a willingness to please.

XXX

Danielle worked straight through the day even missing lunch. She wanted to get the paper written before what Randall had told her faded. She had gotten over half of the theses done when she was suddenly spun around. She yelped then glared up that amused face of Randall. "What was the meaning of that?"

"I was beginning to smell smoke."

"What?"

"You need to take a break. You have been at this paper for…" he paused and looked at the time on the computer, " at least nine hours. It's time for a break."

"Wha-" Danielle turned and looked at the time herself. It was almost nine thirty at night. "Wow. You're right it is time for a break." she stood and stretched popping her back. She followed Randall out of the room, her muscles screaming with every step. When they got closer to the living room and kitchen she realized that she could smell the leftover seafood Jambalaya. She looked at him in surprised.

He shrugged and sent her a look, "I just heated it up. You were busy and I'm not that helpless I told you."

"No, no. it's fine." she opened the cabinets and pulled out a plate. "I've just been so used to being out here by myself that I forget about some things myself. Have you eaten?"

"No, but don't worry about me."

"You are going to eat then. Randall, I'm sorry but you are borderline malnourished and for you size and build you are too thin. I don't know if you are used to skipping meals, but from the look of you, you are. So you're eating." she pulled another plate down and handed it to him.

He took the plate though an annoyed look came over his face at her fussing over him, but he also looked touched that she cared enough.

When they sat down to eat Randall poked at his food, "You're right. I had begun to skip meals. Mostly in the last year and half. By then I just wanted to get that machine built. I really didn't take good care of myself. Not much sleep. I used to intake a lot of high-energy drinks and food when I could get it. It was then I also became addicted to coffee." he poked again at the food.

Danielle felt pity, but tried not to show it. He had proved prideful and if she showed too much pity it would be a blow to him, but she did reach out and lightly patted his hand forgetting he didn't liked to be touched any more then necessary. He looked at her in surprised but didn't snatched his hand away. He looked at her questionly.

Danielle blushed and pulled her hand away. She coughed in embarrassment and sought to change the subject. "So, you ever going to tell me the names of these other monsters? You have my curiosity now."

"They'll not all that unique." Randall shrugged, "There is James P. Sullivan. Everyone but me called him Sulley. He's 8 feet tall and has blue fur with purple spots. He has two curing horns and a series of ridges down his back to his tail. He's big, but not that scary. Not really. How Sullivan was able to get more scares then me I will never know…though I do have my suspicions. His little friend and the one that readily rubbed all my failures in my face is no more then four feet tall. He's green with one eye and tiny horns with the name Michael Wazowski." he paused and smiled along with Danielle as she held back a snort of laughter.

"The CEO is called Henry J. Waternoose. He is just a little taller then me. He's a monster who looks really a cross between a human's crustacean and a spider with five eyes…." he stopped when Danielle choked on her bite of rice. "Human, you alright?"

Danielle nodded her face pale but she continued to cough. Randall shook his head and got up and quickly got her a glass of water. She gratefully took it and managed to force her coughing down by swallowing a bit of water. When she finished she shook slightly.

She saw Randall looking at her in curiosity. "What brought that on?"

She shook her head trying to calm her self. How could she have forgotten? She looked down at her plate and pushed it away her appetite gone. She looked back at Randall. He was looking at her expectably. "This monster, this Waternoose, was he gray and had about four legs?"

Randall blinked at her. "He is gray, yes. Four legs no, he had six. How do you know?" he asked though he suspected.

"I can't believe I forgot this or never even made the connection. I guess when children get older they usually blank it out or just forget about it. It's funny, you say that monsters would jump out of closets…. now that I remember when I was six I used to swear there was this giant ugly gray old crab that would come though of my closet. He used to scare me to death. I begged my dad to put a lock on the door, but he said that was silly and asked me why. I told him that there was a crab monster in my closet. He didn't laugh but he took me out to the barn and made me what he called, a 'Monster-Be-Gone' stick. He painted it green and I drew the monster's face on the stick with X's where the eyes were. Anyway, I slept with that club. It wasn't until a few night's later I had heard my closet door open. I was shaking in the bed as I heard it creep over. Right when it crouched down to roar at me like it had always done, I jumped up screaming in fear, but swung that bat. I know I missed a few times, but I think I hit it, because it began to yell. It raised its arms as if to hit me, but now that I think of it, it paused as if it thought of something; this gave me a chance to actually hit. I think I hit it square on it's head. It backed away and ran for the closet and swung open the door and ran inside. I threw open the door and saw that it was gone and it was just my closet. Nothing more. It never came back."

Both her and Randall was quiet for a few minutes. Then Randall burst out laughing.

"What are you laughing about?"

"That's great! I wonder if he had to go through decontamination? It'd serve him right if he did!" Randall burst out laughing again but this time he was able to control himself, though by the time he was done he was wiping tears of mirth from his green eyes.

Danielle waited until he was calmed down before she tried talking to him. "What are you talking about? Decontamination?"

Randall snorted back a insane giggle, "Remember when I told you that we, I, believed that human children were toxic? Well sometimes a child's toy or clothing article would cling to a monster. If this happened a code would be called, like say a 23-19 which was a child's clothing article. The CDA, Child Detection Agency, would arrive and destroy the article and then decontaminate said monster. It's not very pleasant. Very painful in fact. I should know."

"That's horrible."

Randall nodded remembering the frist time he had to be decontaminated. The CDA had scrubbed him raw. They had used some kind of acid and scrubbed him to the point that he had bleed and scales had been ripped off. He had been in such pain that he had bitten one of the CDA agents and ripped the rubber suit. The paint that the kid had thrown on him when he had scared her had dripped into the tear of the suit. Right away the other agents had jumped their own and both he and the agent had to be decontaminated.

"So, this Waternoose had been the monster that scared me?" Danielle asked.

Randall shook his head and looked back at her. "I'm sure. There wasn't many crab monsters that worked in the factory. Waternoose had been a scarer before he took over the company. You were six you say? How old are you now?"

Danielle huffed, "You have got to be kidding me? You normally ask women their ages?"

"Humor me. If it makes you feel better I bet I'm older then you." Randall sent her half annoyed crooked smile. _Females!_ he thought.

"Fine. It was seventeen years ago." Danielle crossed her arms. He just had to bring age into this! She wasn't that old, but she still didn't like to give out her age. She'll have to make him work to figure out her age though it didn't take any longer then a second for him.

"So you're 23 then." He grinned when she nodded. "Seventeen years. Waternoose didn't take over the company until sixteen years ago. So it very well could have been him."

"Your turn."

"What?"

"You know my age. Since we're still on the subject of age, how old are you?" Danielle looked him over. She had no idea how old he was. She had no way of judging. He sounded young, but that could be deceiving.

"I'm 25."

Danielle blinked. She would have never guessed. He was basically around the same age as her.

"You're shocked." he looked amused.

"Well yeah, I mean your voice sounds young enough, but you seem older at times."

The amused look faded and a looked that bordered on sadness crossed his face. "Life can do that to you."

Danielle saw him slipping into a mood. She quickly tried to change the subject. "Remember the 'Monster-Be-Gone' stick I told you about?"

"Yeah? What of it?"

"I still have it. Wanna see it?"

Randall seemed to brighten. "Sure. I'd like to see this thing that you used to beat my old boss upside the head."

Danielle laughed and stood and picked up the forgotten plates. She cleaned them off and did a quick wash, dried her hands and then hurried to her room. It took her a total of ten minutes to find it but the look on Randall's face was worth it. She handed him the small club like bat.

Randall stood in the living room looking the bat over. It was old and there were cracks in the wood and the old green paint was fading but what amused him the most was the childishly crudely drawn monster on the bat. It was recognizable enough to Randall that right away, he could tell it was supposed to be Waternoose. Instead of the five eyes there were X's drawn. He couldn't help but like it.

"You think, when I go back I could have this? Like a little reminder of my time here?" he asked as he weighed the bat in his hands.

Danielle blinked at him then shrugged. "Why not? It's just collecting dust in the closet." she watched Randall as he began to swing the bat experimentally like a batter. "Wait…you're not thinking what I think you're thinking? Are you?"

Randall grinned cheekily, "Maybe. I figured I could say hello to a few _friends_ with this. I'm sure your old pal Waternoose, would love to be reacquainted with this 'Monster-Be-Gone' stick." he continued to swing it, his long body curling around gracefully.

Despite the horribleness of what he was thinking, his face had remained light and teasing. There seemed to be a rare childish joy in his eyes and on his face. A look Danielle was sure that hadn't happened often. "Oh Randall, " she sighed but she couldn't help the giggle from easing her own lips.

All Randall did was wink at her an easy smile on his lips.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Also, I want to let all know that I have fan art up on DeviantART under the name BlackNaginata.**

**I wonder what Sulley and Mike are up to? I know that this is a short chapter.**

**I was wondering if any of them had ever wanted to be something other then a Scarer. I'm using the idea that Sulley wanted to be a teacher. He was so nice and got attached to Boo so easily that he would have made a good teacher but was pressured into being a Scarer. **

**Also I hope there aren't too many mistakes. This chapter just felt like a filler to me.**

XXX

Two monsters walked out of a large courthouse that was in the middle of a city called Monstropolis. They had spent the last two and half weeks in said building. They both were disgusted and shocked at the ruling they had just heard.

"I just can't believe that they let Waternoose off like that! A fine? That's pocket change for him!" the little green one eyed monster ranted.

"I know. But at least he isn't allowed within 200 feet of the company." the much bigger monster said.

The little one thought about this for a minute then burst out laughing. "Yeah, and did you see his face when they decided to make you CEO? Man I wish I had a camera." he burst out laughing. He stopped when he didn't see his friend laughing. "Sulley, what wrong? You revolutionized the scaring industry! You got the Board of Directors to believe you when you did that presentation on the fact that laughs had more energy then screams. So what's wrong?"

Sulley heaved a sigh. "I can't help but think if we did the right thing."

Mike scrunched up his face his blue green eye clouding in confusion, "What? Boo? She had to go back. I know you miss her pal, but-"

"No. Not Boo."

Mike was still confusion until he realized what his friend was talking about. "You mean," he dropped his voice, "Randall?"

"Yes. I can help but think that we did the wrong thing. I mean we did banish him illegally." Sulley kept his voice low as well.

"He did the same to us!" shock was written all over the face of Mike.

"No, it was Waternoose. He did nothing but open the door."

Mike looked away then back up at his friend with another argument, "But remember what Randall did, what he almost did to all of us! And Waternoose said-"

"So you going to believe what Waternoose said now?" Sulley looked down at Mike a skeptical look on his furred face.

Mike opened his mouth then closed it. "I don't know what to believe."

"We've known Randall since high school then college. Has he ever been like he was in the past few years?" Sulley asked.

"No….but he was still a creep! He got what he deserved!" Mike cried.

Sulley stopped and glared down at Mike. They were now right outside their apartment building. "Do you really think so?"

Mike shut up at that. After a few minutes of silence Sulley huffed and turned to go inside leaving Mike to scurry after him. "Sulley! Wait!" he could up with his long time friend. "I never really thought of it like that. I guess not. It just seemed like the best thing to do at the time."

Sulley nodded, he unlocked the door and once Mike was inside and they were out of earshot of anyone that might over hear them he dropped the bomb shell that had began to bother him. "It did, but now that I think about it, we are basically and possibly murderers. We threw him through a door where he most likely got killed."

Sulley watched as Mike's lime green coloring paled unto he was a very light shade of green, almost white. "Oh my God." he walked shakily over to his round chair and collapsed into it. "I-I never thought about it. I mean, maybe in a way I knew what would happen, but never really thought about it."

Sulley nodded. He too himself felt sick when he thought about it and ever since Waternoose's trial when he began to blame everything on Randall, did he even think of the implications of what he and Mike had done. Mike had covered for them, being better at weaving stories and lies. When they were interviewed Mike had told them the story he had put together. Randall had followed them into the door vault and after he tried to kill them and Boo, he had fallen back into an active door and the door accidentally got destroyed. The CDA easily believed it since they had bigger fish to fry so to speck. They had Waternoose and to them that's all that counted. Though Waternoose hadn't spent more then a few weeks in prison. He had hired the best lawyers that money could buy and he was free as of today.

Sulley couldn't help but feel betrayed by the monster he had always looked up to. Waternoose had tried to blame Sulley and Mike. When Roz, head of the CDA backed them both up, Wasternoose's inculpates went straight to Randall. It was Randall that had thought of the plan, Randall that had talked Waternoose into funding the idea, Randall that built the machine, Randall that lied to him, Randall that had started it all.

Mike had readily agreed with Waternoose, after all "Randall almost did used the Scream Extractor on me!" but Sulley had found so many loop holes in Waternoose's story. It wasn't hard to see them. True, Sulley had known Waternoose for years but he had also known Randall since they both were 16. Ever since the last year of high school and then the few years in college. Randall had always preferred to be alone most of the time, but he wasn't always the snappish edgy monster he had began to become. He had enrolled into mechanical and technological classes and had passed with a master's degree. Sulley had known him to be ambitious and competitive and have a starving need for recognition and acceptance. But he had never known Randall to be evil enough to actually harm anyone. When Randall had graduated and gotten an job at Monsters Inc he had easily risen to Top Scarer. Sulley had just wanted to get a les stressful job. He loved children and had plans on becoming a teacher. It was Waternoose that had contacted him and offered him a job at Monsters Inc. Mike had of course been thrilled when he found out. He and Waternoose continued to try to get him to take the job until Sulley had just given in and agreed. He was trained by both Randall who was aloof about the whole thing, pretending that he had never even known Sulley, and was even trained by Waternoose himself. He soon surpassed Randall easily. Too easily.

Now that the main excitement of the trial and scandal was over, Sulley realized that Randall hadn't become irritable and snappish like he was until after Sulley had began working at the company. Sulley knew he wasn't the brightest monster, but he was beginning to realize that he must have had something to do with Randall building the machine.

He was beginning to realize that Waternoose used them all. Used Randall for his degree in mechanical engineering and counted on his competitiveness. He used Sulley and Mike to help spark the competitiveness in Randall and to push him over the edge.

Sulley now felt the heaviness of that realization. The betrayal of an old friend and the guilt of possibly killing a fellow monster that like him was used. Sulley's knees gave out and he barely made it to his chair that was still missing a section of material from when he had made Boo's costume. He collapsed in it and his head fell into his hands as he remembered Randall's last words. _"No, please no, no, no!" _

They began to replay over and over. A full two and half weeks and he could still hear the fear and despair in Randall's voice. Sulley remembered him begging, something that he had never heard the monster do. He was begging for his life, knowing himself that that he had little chance of surviving in the Human World. He had begged desperately but Sulley had ignored it, ignored the fear that caused Randall to violently twitch in Sulley's hold as he had swung Randall's body back and forth. He had ignored his own conscience telling him that this was wrong and had let go sending Randall into the Human World and then tipped the door over the railing to crash into a thousand pieces.

Randall was already written off as dead as with any monster that got banished, whether or not they were still alive.

Sulley looked over at Mike. Mike was still sitting in his chair in shock of finally realizing what they had done. "Mike…do you remember what door you picked out? Do you remember where we sent him too?"

Mike slowly blinked, "Yes," he replied slowly. He blinked again coming out of the shock. "Yes, I remember the door. It led to a place in the Human World…a swamp….a place that is called Louisiana. Yeah," Mike snapped his fingers, "that's it. Louisiana. That's where he is."

Sulley stood up. Now that he was the CEO of Monsters, Inc, he could access the files. He could see if there were any other homes nearby. He could try to make the wrong he had done a right and hope it wasn't too late.

Mike jumped up as well, "You ain't thinking about trying to find him are you!"

"Yes Mike. We have to try. I don't think he was the full cause of everything. He deserves a trial at least, like Waternoose had." Sulley started toward the door. Mike jumped on his tail.

"Wait! You do realize that IF you find him and IF he isn't dead, he just might tell them that we banished him! We would be ruined! Possibly banished ourselves!" Mike screamed he dug his heels in pulling Sulley's tail.

"We'll deal with that if it happens."

"What? There's that 'We' again! We will lose everything if we find him, if he's still alive!" Mike dropped Sulley's tail and glared at him.

Sulley turned to look at his little friend. "What we did was wrong. I have to try. And if he isn't dead, he may not turn us in."

"You are delusional my friend. It's Randall! Of course he will!" Mike screamed.

"I don't care. I'm going to try." Sulley turned and walked out the door.

Mike huffed and crossed his arms. After a few minutes he dropped them. "Hey Sulley? Wait up!"

XXX

For day they poured over the files in Waternoose's old office. They found out things that conformed that Waternoose had indeed been lying to all of them. They found that the idea of the Scream Extractor had been conceived long before Randall had even began working at Monsters, Inc. They found the program that was wired into the scareboard to give Sulley a random 50, 75, even 100 points to Randall Boggs points.

Sulley's mouth had dropped. "All this time I thought I had truly thought I was a good Scarer."

Mike looked up from the stack of papers. He never had much luck with them and now he had to pour all his extra time out on paperwork that was not his own. "But you are-were a good Scarer."

"Oh yeah Mike? The whole thing was rigged! The points I earned was half of Randall's!" Sulley tore himself away. If he ever found Randall, alive that is, he owed the monster a huge apology. "You find anything?"

"I found the Louisiana state files. Sulley….this is going to take forever. There is over 19,103 doors. It would be easier if I remembered the serial number to the door but I can't. This will take months!" Mike gestured to the huge stack of papers he had pulled.

"Well, just try by the area that the door was in. You said it was in a swamp right?" Sulley picked up a stack of papers.

"Sulley…the whole place is a swamp."

Sulley slammed his fist down on the desk.

Mike jumped. He hadn't seen his friend look so desperate since they had been banished to the Himalayas. He felt guilt at what they had done but he would be able to live with it. It was the way he was. But Sulley, big monster he was, was too soft hearted. That's way he had gotten so attached to the little human girl. Sulley had been a great Scarer but would have been an even greater teacher. If he didn't try to find Randall the guilt would eat away until there was nothing left. He was already almost sick from missing the tiny human girl so much he already had a hard time concentrating on his new job as the CEO.

Mike sighed and patted his friend's arm. "I'll do all that I can to help you find that door." As much as he disliked Randall and thought "Lizard Boy" too creepy for his own good, he would help his life long friend find the closure he was desperately seeking. Even if it meant Randall was dead.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Also, I want to let all know that I have fan art up on DeviantART under the name BlackNaginata.**

**Chapter 13**

XXX

Danielle laid out the tools she would need. Scissors, tweezers, cotton, antibiotic cream, warm water and a few towels. Her patient sat still blurry eyed on the stool. She smiled in fondness as she wrapped a towel around the neck of a still sleepy Randall. She had gotten up earlier and fixed the coffee. She had a lot of errands to run today and the night before she had told him that today was the day she would take the stitches out before she had to do the hour long drive to the city. The stitches coming out was a good step in the right direction of him healing fully, though he still had a ways to go. He had to finish the duration of penicillin shots and the vitamins. He also still had the cracked fibula and maybe wasn't so malnourished anymore, he was still too thin. He had clearly lost a lot of weight in building that stupid machine. She had him to weigh himself the other night. He had weighted in at 210. Danielle had seen him wince.

"I never realized that I had lost so much," he had told her. Danielle had patted his shoulder. "I just never paid attention."

So, now a new goal for 'fatting' him was now also added. She had to go to the city to restock on some things and to drop her paper off. The day after tomorrow was Thanksgiving and she had to go back to school two days after. She also wanted to plan a small dinner. If she had been alone a small frozen TV dinner would suffice for her, but now she had company and though she didn't eat much meat, Randall did. She had plans to start him on a diet of more fruit and vegetables and plenty of lean meat, but she wanted him to go easy on stanches. She wanted him to gain more muscle not fat.

A sleepy yawn brought her out of her daydream. He was quiet this morning, not as grumpy as he had been when she had first woken him up earlier. Once he had gotten two cups of coffee in him he was much mellower though still not too happy about being up at dawn.

Danielle wiped a damp cloth over the long gash. It was healing wonderfully after she had gotten rid of the infection. It wasn't as closed as much as she'd like but if she waited any longer the skin would heal around the thread more and taking them out would not be pleasant for him. She had butterfly sutures though and she would use them for another few days or so.

Danielle took her fingers and as gently as she could she pressed around the gash.

The reaction was instantaneous. Randall's silted eyes flew open and he jerked back. He was awake now. "What was that for?" he snapped at her.

"I'm sorry. I know that it's still sore, but I'm checking the fracture on your skull. As the skin cleared from the bruises and swelling I can see that you are going to have a very slight depression right here," Danielle gently ran her finger right beside the gash.

"What?" Randall pushed her fingers away and pressed his own against the side of the gash. He hissed, but ignored the pain as he felt the dent she was talking about. He emitted a growl from the pit of his stomach. He dropped his hands and lifted his head to glare at the ceiling. "Great, just _great!_"

Danielle had stepped back when he had growled like that. The growl, she hated to admit, had scared her. It had showed a lot of anger in that one sound. She waited until he closed his eyes and lowered his head with a heavy sigh. "You…alright now?" she asked hesitantly.

"Will I ever be?" The question was rhetorical from the tone he used so she didn't bother to answer but as he looked back at her she noticed that he had calmed back down so she stepped back up to him.

She picked of the sharp scissors and hesitated again. She knew he was still very tender around the gash. "Ok Randall. I know you're still very sore but I need you to hold still."

He sighed and nodded. "I'll be still."

"Ok." With that she clipped the threads. She knew that it wouldn't hurt; the tweezers that she picked up now was what was going to hurt. She rested her left hand under his wide jaw to help steady his head. She took the tweezers and grasped a thread and with a small hard yank she tugged the thread out.

Randall didn't say a world only gritted his sharp teeth in a quiet snarl.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she pulled the threads as quickly as she could. She could feel his jaw muscles twitch. She subconsciously began to rub her thumb under his jaw, stroking the smooth scales. As she worked on Randall's head she saw his large eyes close. Danielle pulled the last thread and wiped a clean damp washcloth over the gash then followed up with antibiotic cream. She kept her hand under his jaw as she turned slightly to pick up the butterfly sutures.

A hand closed over her own and Danielle turned back to see Randall staring at her. He took her hand from under his jaw. "I never really did thank you did I?"

Danielle just stared at him in shock as he held her hand.

He just stared back at her, his bright emerald green eyes staring intently at her. He squeezed her hand gently. "Thank you."

"Y-you're welcome." Danielle smiled nervously at him. He let got of her hand and Danielle turned away and picked up the cloth sutures. She knew she was blushing like crazy and she didn't even know why. She tuned back around and within five minutes she had the tape across the slightly opened gash. He would only need them for a few more days or so until it closed enough.

"There." She stepped back and nodded. The gash would more then likely be even more sore after she had removed the stitches and if one really looked now that the swelling and bruising was gone, there was a slight dent on the side of his crest. It wasn't too bad but people would be able to tell that he had gotten hit upside the head hard. She sighed. "Alright. Now how's the leg?"

"It's still sore and bruised. I still can't put too mush weight on it when it's out of the cast." He looked down at his leg. "You sure it's only a fracture? No breakage?"

Danielle sat down on the white linoleum. She began to unstrap the pick cast. She slid his leg out of the cast and set the cast aside. She unrolled the few ace bandages and soon his thin leg was resting in her hands. She began to press on the calf muscle. She heard his groans of discomfort. "I'm sorry, "she said.

"I know…" he gritted out.

"Yeah, there is no bone movement, so it's just a hair line. The swelling is down, that's good. It's still pretty bruised, but that's slowly fading too. How did it happen? Do you remember?" She stopped prodding the leg and just held the smooth scaleless leg in her hands.

"Yeah, unfortunately. After she took the…shove to my head I fell to the stinking floor. The old human then slammed the…shovel down onto my leg. I was sure it would be broken."

Danielle didn't miss the pauses when he mentioned the shovel, but didn't comment on it. "Hmm, I'm surprised too that it didn't shatter. She must have pulled the blow some. Well, then it seems that you still have some heavy bruising in the muscle. That's why it's still so sore. Plus it's only been three weeks. It can take up to six weeks for this to heal then some physical therapy."

Randall sighed in disgust as he rolled his eyes, "It just figures doesn't it?" Suddenly he jerked and looked down at Danielle. "Hey!"

The human had taken his leg in her hands and very gently began to massage his calf. It hurt but it also felt good in a strange sort of way. "What are you doing?"

She chuckled a little and continued to rub the leg. "I'm rubbing the muscles to get an application of heat going. It may encourage blood flow. Let me know when it becomes too much so I don't exacerbate the injury."

All Randall could do was stare down at her while she rubbed his leg. She never pressed too hard and she would rub up to under his knee and back down to his ankle. "Ok." His answer however was half whispered and half choked out.

"So Randall," she began as she rubbed his leg, "Have you thought of a way you can get back?"

Randall blinked, thankful for the start of a conversion even if it was one that he had no idea on what to do. "No, I'm quite sure that the closet I was tossed through in your neighbor's trailer would have been destroyed and yours would have been shredded long ago. There aren't any other neighbors near by?"

"No. Not for miles. And I don't know anyone with-" the human stopped the rubbing and looked thoughtful. "Wait! Of course! My niece and nephew. You think you could go through their door?" She picked up the ace bandages and began to rewrap is leg.

Randall smiled as he tapped his lips, "Maybe. They weren't my regular kids."

Danielle slipped the cast on and strapped it. She stood up and looked at him. "What do you mean?" She asked as she began to gather the first aid supplies up on the table.

Randall stood and began to help her. "Every monster is matched with every kid to get the most out of a scream. Chances are that they still have a monster. I scared them without really trying." Randall paused and chuckled, "So their doors still be active."

"Ok. A trip to my sister's is in order then, but only after I say your fit." Danielle turned when she heard the drawer close hard. She turned to see him staring at her.

"Are you joking? And how long would you say ol' great doctor?" Randall was looking at her with narrowed eyes and the last bit came out rude and sarcastic.

Danielle put her hands on her hips and glared right back at him. "Randall…your leg fibula has the hairline crack. It's one of two bones that run through your calf. The fibula is the smaller of these bones and connects to the back of your ankle. The fibula may not bear your weight in your leg and true it's not spilt in two, but you still have pain and discomfit. The muscles are damaged as well. The force of the shovel when Mrs. LaGide brought it down on your leg did a number to the muscles. And let's not forget your skull fracture. They can take a few months to heal. When fracturing the skull the healing process takes a lot longer than any other fracture, like a fracture in the wrist or foot. The healing process could take up to a year, and in some cases even longer. Once you fracture your skull the healing process also includes the healing of the brain itself. You can't just fracture the skull and get on with your life."

Randall looked at her in disbelief. "What? Months? A year?"

"Don't panic Randall. You may have a depressed skull fracture; it isn't as bad as I have seen. But it's still your head. You have been still suffering those headaches huh?" Danielle smiled softly when Randall sighed then nodded. He had tried to hide the headaches from her, but she had known because it was very normal. "You're very expressive Randall. I could tell. That's part of the healing. They aren't as bad now are they?"

"No. They're better. Alright so how long?"

Danielle looked thoughtful. "I want to make sure that all the bruising is gone in your leg and you can fully walk on it. And when your head is not as tender. Plus when you have to gain some weight. No more then three months. That'll put it about February. Besides, what do you think will happen when you go back to Monstropolis?"

Randall winced and looked away. He knew. He knew exactly what would happen. He'd be arrested the moment he was seen. He may want to get back but he also didn't relish the thought of facing jail.

"The face says it all. Plus wouldn't they do that decontamination on you? Being here in the Human World? I want to wait until you are better before you put yourself through that stress." She winked at him, "Resting here in a quieter, more laid-back environment might be just what the doctor ordered, so to speak. I don't want them undoing what I've been doing." Danielle looked down at her watch. "Oh God. I gotta go Randall. The college is only open half a day today and I have to drop that paper off and then there's holiday shopping and travelers. Baton Rouge is crazy but it's worse during the holidays."

Danielle then began to rush to finish gathering her things. She had placed the paper in its protective binding last night and it was in her case. She grabbed her purse and pulled on her shoes and snagged her jacket. She stopped when she heard Randall call out. She turned, her hand on the front door knob. He had walked from the kitchen to lean against the doorframe watching her.

"Why do you care so much?"

Danielle walked back to him and placed a hand lightly against his cheek and smiled then winked, "Let's just say I've become fond of your _charming_ personality. Besides what else I could do with you?" she asked playfully. She saw a grin and a flash of mischief cross his face.

"What can I say, I've just been Mr. Personality of the Year," he said innocently. "I guess you'll just have to think of something."

Danielle grinned. _I'd think he was flirting with me._

XXX

The full realization hit her only when Danielle was on the freeway. She almost swerved and but got herself together. _Get a hold of yourself. So what if he was flirting? You were too. A friendly flirt. It never means anything; you should know that, stupid. Besides Randall's a separate species. There can never be any true attraction. _

This calmed her nerves to the point she forgot about it mostly. She turned the paper in to her professor and stopped by the few stores. She restocked on food and household supplies and pet food. She stopped by the aisle that had all kinds of stress balls lined up. Thanking God, she looked over the balls carefully. Randall had taken to the old white bone squeak toy. True, she was glad that is seemed to help him when he got irritated but it was beginning to wear on her nerves. Soon she would need one if she didn't get him a quite one. She picked up a soft round one that seemed to be filled with sand. Soft and strong. But best of all quieter. She smiled and tossed it into the basket.

XXX

"Here. Catch!"

Randall turned from putting a gallon of milk in the refrigerator to see the human toss something at him. He caught it and looked down at what she had tossed him. It was a small round ball. It seemed to be made out of some kind of rubber and filled with sand and had a purple metallic coloring. "What's this?"

Danielle smiled at him as she put the last of the goods away. "You know that squeaky dog toy? Well, that's basically the same thing…only less noisy." She picked up the box of laundry soap and carried it over to were the washer and dyer stood in the corner of the kitchen.

Randall followed her, closing the refrigerator's door with his tail. He squeezed the ball in his hands. He squeezed it experimentally and loved the feel of it in his hand. He squeezed it again. It had the same effect on him as the stupid dog toy he had been squeezing only quieter. He knew the main reason she had gotten it was because whenever he had found the need to squeeze the dog toy the squeaking had gotten on her nerves. True it had been fun to irate the human but even the squeaking would get on his nerves.

He silently padded up behind her as she stretched to put the washing powder in the small double cabinet above the two machines. He had been around humans for four years, and that had only been for a few minutes at a time and they had only been children. Not much was known about their parents, the adult humans.

He had been watching the TV and he was amazed to see that humans were just like monsters. Both species thought the same way. Both had dreams, hopes, and fears. The only differences were the looks and that some monsters like him had special abilities that humans clearly didn't have.

He stopped behind her at arms length away. His eyes settled on her short hair. It just lightly brushed the back of her neck. He had seen her nasty excuse of a sister briefly last week. He remembered that her sister's hair had been a deep dark brown with red, while his human had lighter colored hair that was redder. He reached out subconsciously to touch her hair when he thought he saw a flash of green on her skin at the base of her neck under the collar of the gray shirt she wore. Before he could do anything she turned saw him and let out a small yelp. Her breathing became harsh and she clutched her chest, trying to clearly calm herself.

Randal paced backwards a few steps and put on an amused look. No way was he going to let her know how close he had been to touching her.

"You trying to scare me to death!"

"No," he replied calmly. He held up the stress ball. "I want to thank you for this." His grin split wider when he saw the confused look on her face.

"Oh, uh. Ok. Your welcome." She eased away still nervous.

He watched her carefully, his large head tipped to the side. His grin had faded to an amused smile. She was so amusing. Sure of herself one minute and nervous and jittery the next.

"So, uh, I'll make dinner tonight. It's my turn anyway."

"As you wish," Randall smirked.

The human nodded and turned away. Randall let out a chuckle, though now as he settled on his stool, squeezing the metallic purple ball be couldn't help but wonder at the flash of green on her neck.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Also, I want to let all know that I have fan art up on DeviantART under the name BlackNaginata.**

**A small warning. This chapter has some cursing and description of a dead animal.**

**Chapter 14**

XXX

The sun was shining into the kitchen, hitting the still wet floor so that it had an appearance like a mirror. Danielle had done a through cleaning of the house, and even Randall had surprisingly helped as much as he could until his leg had started to ache. She had ended up sending him off to rest. He didn't do so for long. He was now currently outside leaning up against the side of the barn soaking up the still warm sun. He had told her that Monstropolis was usually quite chilly by now. He would've had to take to wearing clothes, which he really hated. They had restricted his movement and whenever he would blend into the background; basically going invisible, it would look like empty clothes were walking around. So he was enjoying the warm sun though at 65 degrees it was cold to her.

Danielle had the radio going softly as she worked on the floor. As a catchy song began to play, she glanced back out the window to see Randall still by the barn. He seemed to be lost in thought so she turned the radio up a little. She loved music but never had much time for it. She found herself humming along and used to being alone, she began to run the mop across the floor in time with the music which soon turned into a full dance routine. She spun around and came face to face with a laughing Randall.

Danielle screamed and swung her mop at him out of instinct though he was in no danger of getting hit because she slipped and fell against the sink, dropping the mop. It clattered to the floor as she leaned against the sink, her breathing harsh and she clutched her chest, trying to calm her pulsing heart and to breath right again. She finally had to drag out the blasted inhaler and take a deep puff on it. The entire time Randall was still laughing. He was clutching his sides trying to calm down.

She glared at him and he finally shut up, though he was grinning wildly at her.

"You're rather amusing, Human, do you know that?"

Danielle bent to pick up the fallen mop. She shot him a dirty look. "Glad to be your source of amusement and I do have a name. It's Danielle. Call me Dan, Dannie, Ellie…D even, but stop calling me 'Human'! I call you by your name. Would you rather I call you 'Monster'? Or even…." Danielle paused and continued to glare at the smirking Randall. "Lizard Boy?"

The amusement faded and his green eyes narrowed. "Don't call me that!" he growled as he now glared at Danielle in turn.

"Ahh so you don't like that? Good. I'll just call you that until you call me by my name." Danielle leaned the mop against the wall.

Randall took a few steps forward until he was only a few feet away. "Lizard Boy is a very degrading name! I've heard enough of it out of the foul mouth of Wazowski! I will not hear it from yours!" he pointed at her growling.

Danielle spun around and stepped up closer to Randall. They were now only a foot apart. Randall had his head raised higher then his normal stance. It raised his height until he was only two inches shorter then her so she only had to tip her head only slightly to stare into his angry eyes. "Yeah? And like 'Human' isn't? You ever think it feels degrading to me?" She glared at him for a few moments before 'hmph'ing contemptuously then turned and grabbed the mop and tossed it into its little corner and stomped over to the fridge and yanked the door open hard enough that the appliance shook. She began to pull things out of the freezer and slammed the items she took out unto to the kitchen table.

Without being asked, he helped her prepare dinner.

Danielle was still as mad as was Randall. Her chest rattled with her breaths but she didn't bother to pull out the inhaler. In a fury, she accidentally dropped a package of frozen spinach to the floor. Both Danielle and Randall went to pick it up at the same time, his hand landing on top of hers by accident.

They looked at another, still like that. Randall was the first to move. He slowly removed his hand and stood, allowing her to pick the bag up. She stood and half glared at him. They continued to stare at one another; Randall, still half glaring himself. Finally they both sighed and their glares faded. They continued to work on dinner together not saying a word, though all seemed forgiven.

xxxx

The warm early morning breeze blew the Spanish hanging moss from the low-branched trees that surrounded the tiny white house. It was a beautiful almost early summer warm morning on Thanksgiving and already the two occupants of the house was up, four if one counted the old dog and young cat. One of said occupants had been up for half an hour and hadn't wanted to disturb the other as she made a pot of coffee. But he had proven to have the nose of a bloodhound when it came to coffee. Within the first ten minutes after the coffee have began to brew, he had been up and waiting along with her.

Though Thanksgiving morning was usually a day of stress and loads of cooking, Danielle was relaxed. It was her first holiday without her family. Some might have though she was horrible, but she felt great relief from not having to deal with her family. She took her mug and walked out onto the porch, Randall following her. They stood on the porch enjoying the peaceful refreshing breeze.

Almost refreshing.

The wind shifted and along with it came the sickly sweet smell of rot.

"Oh god!" Danielle clamped her hand over her nose. She heard the sharp intake of air from Randall as well and she turned to see him place a hand over his wide face where his nose was. They looked at one other and backed back inside.

Once inside Randall snorted. "What on earth was _that?_" he asked.

Danielle had a feeling she knew. She collapsed in her favorite chair. "Not today," she groaned. She looked down at her unfinished coffee and suddenly had no desire to drink it.

Randall still had his face wrinkled up. "You know what that was?"

Danielle nodded. "Yeah. I have a feeling I do. Remember when the boy dumped you on the side of the road? It wasn't the first time they had pulled a stunt like that. I had told you once that they dumped dead animals in my yard or shoved them in the mailbox and the law hasn't or won't do anything about it. So I'm left to clean up the mess." She got up and went to the kitchen and placed her mug in the sink. She then pulled on her outside boots. "I'll be back shortly."

"You need help?"

Danielle paused and turned looked at Randall in shock. "What?"

"I said do you need help? I'm obviously not doing anything." Randall was leaning against the kitchen doorway.

"If you want. It may be nasty." Danielle opened the backdoor. "I'll met you up front, I have to get a few things." She was then out the door and headed to the barn. She didn't know what it was that clearly had been dumped. It could be small or it could be large. She didn't have anyway of knowing until she saw it. Danielle flicked the power to the barn and opened one of the double doors. She went to the back of the barn and picked up the tarp that she used for these stunts. She gathered it up and picked up the shovel. She knew Randall wouldn't like the sight of it but she'll need it. She also grabbed a pick ax on the way out. She then carried the items out and to the front of the house where the truck was.

She was right when she saw Randall. He didn't like the sight of the shovel.

"W-what do you need _that_ for?" he swallowed hard, his eyes widening and took an unconscious step back.

Danielle's heart ached at the sight. He had been doing so well. The shovel had clearly traumatized him badly. She put the armload in the bed of her truck then turned to him. "You don't have to go. You can wait here," she said softly.

Randall was still frozen to his spot. Finally he shook his head. "No, I'll come…. but I _will not_ touch it."

Danielle nodded. "Fair enough. I may not even need it." She climbed into her truck and leaned over and unlocked the passenger's door. Randall opened it and with semi ease climbed in. "Alright. I don't know where it is so just watch the sides of the road. I know that if the smell is coming from some dumped animal then it would be there and within two miles. They never dump the carcasses on their own land." Danielle started the truck and backed out. She slowly drove down the road, keeping an eye on the road and one on the side of the road. Occasionally she looked over at Randall. He had rolled the window down and was looking along the side of the road, but he was also interested in looking at the inside of the truck.

"So you undoubtedly have cars where you come from? Does any of them look the same as this?"

"It looks almost the same. There are some differences. Like for instance we use the scream energy. What do you humans use for energy? I saw them mention gas on the TV."

"Yeah. It's gasoline that's the go juice for our vehicles. Please don't ask me how. I just prefer working with alive things. I know how to change the oil and replace a few of the belts and that's just about it."

She drove on in silence. It was a good five minutes later when she was less then half a mile away from the house when she spotted it. She stopped and sighed. "I found it, let's go see what's the damage."

She climbed out and closed the door. Randall did the same. They both had their hands clamped over their nose. It was worse for Randal though. He may have looked reptilian but he was mammalian through and through, though he did have traits like a reptile and it had nothing to do with looks. He had the ability to not only smell the air with his nose, but to even use his tongue to taste the air. This he tried hard not to do. He had no idea why he had offered to help with something that would clearly be a very disgusting job.

He caught up with the human. She was kneeling by something on the ground. Her hand was still clamped over her nose, but she was shaking her head. When he stepped up beside her he couldn't help but recoil in disgust. What he was looking at he couldn't even describe. The humans had clearly stripped the animal out. All there was left was a large rib cage, backbone, and parts of legs. Most of the flesh was peeled off though there was still a great deal of inners that was lying about. The thing also seemed to be missing its head.

"What was that?" he asked, shuddering when the air hit his sensitive tongue.

"It was a alligator. The assholes stripped the thing. This had been here for about two days. It only started to stink. And badly. I would have normally seen it sooner but where I have home quite a bit…"

"Is…that what they could have done to me?" The question was quiet almost whispered to himself.

"_So mama, ya want me get the tools so we can skin it? We can throw it in the pot."_

Randall was barely aware of the human steering him away and back to the truck. He heard her mumbling. "I shouldn't have let you come." She guided him around to the side of the truck and turned him away. He felt her take his head in her hands and forced him to look at her.

He did, though he felt disgust at himself for allowing himself to look weak even more but couldn't help it as the boy's words and the dream began to flash in his mind and play over and over like a broken record.

"**So mama, ya want me get the tools so we can skin it? We can throw it in the pot."**

_He was hanging upside down and he saw that he was completely skinned, though somehow still alive. He looked at his arms and legs and saw red muscles and tendons showing. Whipping his head around, he saw that he was surrounded by the two humans. They had plates full of red chunks of his flesh. _

"**So mama, ya want me get the tools so we can skin it? We can throw it in the pot."**

_He was hanging upside down and he saw that he was completely skinned, though somehow still alive. He looked at his arms and legs and saw red muscles and tendons showing. Whipping his head around, he saw that he was surrounded by the two humans. They had plates full of red chunks of his flesh. _

"**So mama, ya want me get the tools so we can skin it? We can throw it in the pot."**

_He was hanging upside down and he saw that he was completely skinned, though somehow still alive. He looked at his arms and legs and saw red muscles and tendons showing. Whipping his head around, he saw that he was surrounded by the two humans. They had plates full of red chunks of his flesh. _

Dimly he felt something brushing his sensitive fronds. His vision that had been going black slowly came back and his eyes became focused again. He began to realize that something was wrapped around his torso and something slowly stroking his fronds. It was then he realized that he was clutching onto something.

Or should he say someone?

Randall's eyes widened and stepped back quickly.

The human was looking at him with extreme worry. "Randall…are you all right? I can drive you back right now if you want?"

Randall just stared at her wide-eyed. He had clearly had another breakdown. He blinked and then growled low and hatefully in his throat. Hate at everyone that had ever done him wrong and put him in such a position. He clenched his fists and bared his teeth. He hated showing weakness and he was going to stop this right now.

"R-Randall?"

He refocused his eyes on her. She was stepping back from him, the worry turning into fear. He knew his face was twisted into an expression of rage. Great, the one person that had not treated him like he was trash was scared of him. He then realized he cared enough to try to calm down and smooth things back over. Randall fought down his rising emotions and took several calming breaths then looked back at her. She was still backing away, "Danielle…wait…I'm fine."

The use of her name stopped her and she paused. "Y-you sure?" she still looked hesitant.

"Positive." He took a deep breath trying not to taste the foul air. He saw that she relaxed enough but was still doubtful.

"Ok. Let's get this done. You can wait in the truck if you want. I'm going to wrap the poor thing in the tarp and put it into the bed of the truck. Then we'll just take it back and bury it." She stepped back still keeping a wary eye on him. She reached into the back of the track and grabbed the pickax and tarp. She walked past him carrying the things. She glanced at him, concern in her eyes.

Randall waited until she had walked back to the animal's carcass before he slapped a hand over his wide face and leaned heavily against the side of the truck. He had thought he was getting better about this. But seeing that shovel again and then the carcass and again thinking about how close he had came to be looking like that mess that was once an animal. The horrible dream was still always fresh in his mind even after a month. He had no idea if he would ever get those images out of his mind.

He looked up in time to see Danielle jab the pickax onto the carcass with a slight sickening crunch as it hit the rib cage. He winced but continued to watch as she then began to drag it over to where she had spread out an old blue tarp. He could see she gritting her teeth as she started to pull it over onto the tarp. She finally did and pulled the pickax out and used it to hook the rooting innards and flip them over onto the tarp as well. He wrinkled his face up again and sent a glare down the road in what he assumed was the direction of the guilty family. They would pay eventually. He would see to it.

The sound of gravel crunching brought his attention back to Danielle. She was beginning to drag the tarp across the ground. Already he could see her struggling for breath and mumbling to herself. Not really relishing the idea of getting any closer to the body he felt compelled to help her.

XX

Danielle was used to dirty jobs like this. It just didn't mean she enjoyed or was completely immune to the rotting stench. She used the pickax to drag it over onto the tarp. As she did she could help but worry about Randall. He clearly had a panic attack. She had guided him away. She shouldn't have let him come with her but it was too late now. He had seemed to blank everything out. He had frozen stiff, his green eyes even dimming, as he got lost inside his head. When he had begun to shake, Danielle had wrapped her arms around him. She began to stroke the long fronds on his head, gently pushing them back. After a few minutes he had began to calm down and even wrapped all four of his arms around her, clenching her tight. Danielle had winced but endured it. When he finally refocused he had stepped back, a look of embarrassment that faded in a flash as a strange look came into his eyes and his wide face contorted into a mask of pure hate and rage. She had to admit that the look on his face and in his eyes had scared her. Even more then his tempers and his involvement in the machine. She had truly been scared.

When he had calmed down and apparently realized he was scaring her, he had looked abashed. It wasn't until he called her by her name that her own fear had faded some. The use of her name was simple enough but it also spoke so many things. One was that he finally cared enough to say her name and not call her 'human' as he had since he had arrived.

She had glance out the corner of her eye and had saw him lean against the truck. She sighed heavily and began to drag the heavy load to the truck. She wasn't weak, but her lungs were. Already she was gasping for air, her chest aching from the strain of her trying to breathe. She knew that if it was this heavy all stripped out, she knew she wouldn't have even been able to move it if it was still whole. She growled and dragged in an intake of air, grumbling to herself. "This just had to happen today, of all days. Too bad I can't dump it in their yard. I hope I'll feel up to making the stupid dinner much less _eat_ it." she would have gone on if it wasn't for the sight of four smoky purple scaleless arms that reached out and grabbed the edge of the tarp and began to pull along with her.

They didn't say a word, but only pulled it to the truck. They let go of the tarp as Danielle leaned against the truck and took out her inhaler. She shook it and took a few tokes on it. She was aware of Randall watching her. "Just give me a few seconds. I know that it stinks but one second." She gasped out.

Randall shook his head. "It's fine."

"Thanks. I think we can try to get this up in the truck now." She turned and dropped the tailgate and together they bent down and on the count of three that Randall counted off, heaved the carcass into the back of the truck. Danielle had to back off, her breaths becoming an asthmatic wheeze again.

Randall slammed the tailgate closed and shook his head at her. "How could you even do this on your own if you have asthma this bad? How did you even get _me_ into the truck?"

Danielle held a hand up as she struggled to breathe. After a good five minutes she was able to talk again. "I did it with a lot of patience, breaks and cursing. Cursing always seems to help." She gave him a small smile. "All right. Let's get on back. I still have to bury it."

On the way back both were quiet. She didn't have to drive as slow but it still took a few minutes. When she arrived she pulled the truck around to the back and backed it up around to the other side of the barn, at the edge of the swamp. She cut the engine but before she got out, she turned and took a hold of Randall's hand.

He started slightly and looked at her.

"You don't have to help. I have to use…the shovel to dig a hole. You can go on back into the house." Danielle told him.

Randall smirked a small cynical smile, "I know, but I…want to."

Danielle blinked then smiled. "Thanks. Then if you can there is a white bag on a barrel in the barn. It says 'lime'. If you can, grab it."

He nodded and pulled away and slipped out of the truck. Danielle watched him go. He was being his weird self again today. He had never been this nice to her for this long. She sighed and got out of the truck. She reached in the back and grabbed the shovel. She then got busy digging the hole. She was thankful the ground was soft but she knew that one day all the animal skeletons would begin rise to the top. It always happened. The soft soggy ground never hid the bodies for long_. I feel like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre guy. Or that Rob Zombie guy, with all these skeletons._ She thought as she dug the hole. She had to stop a few times to take breaths and tokes on her inhaler. Finally she deemed it deep enough and dropped the tailgate. She climbed up in the back and with the shovel pushed the mess out of the truck and into the hole. She sighed and wiped the sweat away. She had noticed Randall standing back. He had the bag of lime at his feet and had been watching. She looked over at him. Her lungs were aching and she was completely disgusted. "Alright let's get this over with."

Randall nodded, "Yes. So what do you want with the bag?"

"Pour some into the hole. It'll help keep other animals from digging up and keep germs down." Danielle climbed out of the truck and waited until Randall was returning the bag before she picked the shovel back up and filled in the hole. She heard the door to the house close as he went back inside. She had told him after he retuned the bag to go on in. They both needed showers after this mess and she had went ahead and sent him in. As she filled in the hole she couldn't help but think on his actions today. He was a strange one with his moods. She could see him trying to control his temper, but sometimes it seemed to get the best of him. She wasn't much fazed by nasty tempers, her own mother having a temper that could make the meanest person cry. Thankfully she had gotten better at controlling it. But Randall now, he had something else going on with him; he was clearly still traumatized by the close call. Traumatized more then he cared to admit. "Men and their pride," she mumbled.

He did scare her sometimes when he zoned out like he had earlier. The look on his face. She shuddered. It was terrible and had sent chills through her spine. She began to understand why kids had clearly been scared of him when he had been a "Scarer". She sighed as she finished. She took the ruined tarp to the burn barrel. She'll bag it later and dispose of it properly. After replacing the tools and driving the truck back to the driveway, she drug herself into the house. She could smell the scent of fresh coffee and she sent slight thanks to Randall for starting a fresh pot.

She decided for a bath. As she soaked in the tub she weighted her options. She didn't know if after today anyone would be in the mood for preparing a Thanksgiving dinner. It wasn't like she had to. A simple dinner would still surface. But she hated the idea of the small things she had already started to go to waste. She shrugged. She'll ask Randall. It wasn't like it was going to be a huge dinner. She still found the fact that even Monsters in his world celebrated Thanksgiving. Even the story, was very similar to the humans. It was almost creepy. Finally finished she climbed out of the tub and dried off and got dressed. Not paying much attention she had grabbed a low backed black shirt. She finally felt refreshed and better. Danielle made her way back to the kitchen. Randall was nowhere to be seen. Shrugging and yawning, she fixed her cup of coffee. She then walked to the table and sat down in the chair, sagging her body down into it. She glanced at the clock. _9:30. _Not even noon and she had already had a full day. She groaned and her head came down onto the table.

She didn't hear Randall walk into the kitchen. She was too busy resting her head against the cool smooth wood of the table.

"What's that on your neck?"

"What?" Danielle raised her head and turned to look at Randall. He was standing close behind her.

"On your neck. What is that?" He was looking at her in curiosity. He glistened with slight dampness from his own resent bath or shower.

"Oh," Danielle blushed deeply and slapped a hand on the back of her neck. She felt the bare skin. She had forgotten that the black shirt had low back and the beginnings of the tattoos were showing. "That. Funny story."

Randall smirked and crossed his arms. "I enjoy a 'funny' story now and then."

"Heh. Well, a few years ago Margot and me went to Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is this big celebration that we have every year on a Tuesday before Ash Wednesday in our calendar. Anyway, we went to this party and…we…well…we got drunk; she thought that it'd be a good idea to get tattoos. My sister, the high and mighty, actually got drunk enough to want to get _tattoos_. Well I was drunk too, so I agreed and since I had just turned 18, I thought that it'd be a great idea. So we went to some tattoo store and she got a outline of a butterfly on her shoulder." Danielle tapped her left shoulder.

"A tattoo?" Randall gave a little laugh. "Ok what did you end up with?"

"Mom was so mad when she found out, she was like, Tattoo? Dit mon la verite'!...that we had done this to purposely torment her." Danielle tried to avoid the question.

"You are avoiding the question. What did you get?"

"I'm not avoiding the question. I'm just not answering you." Danielle said smugly.

"Danielle, what is it?" Randall tried the use of her name.

"Why do you want to know?"

"I'm interested on what mark you willingly got carved into your flesh. And the fact that you keep avoiding the question is making me even more curious." Randall smirked at her as she winced.

"When you say it like that it sounds horrible." she sighed. "Fine." She turned back around and as she stared across the room at the far wall, she reached behind her and grabbed the back of the black shirt and pulled it down enough for him the see the full view of the green scaled tattoo pattern that was tattooed into her skin in the shape of a triangle. "I had thought it was a great idea, but now, I realized that it wasn't one of the smartest things I have ever done."

She jumped about a foot when she felt something brushing over the tattoo with a feather-light touch. She craned her neck around to see Randall right behind her. He had reached out and was just barely touching the tattoo.

"Why did you choose scales?" his voice sounded a little hoarse. He cleared his throat and stepped back.

Danielle shook slightly but was determined not to let him see. She let go of her shirt. "I love animals mostly the misunderstood ones, I guess in my drunken delirium I thought that it'd be in someway a tribute to the reptiles." She stood up suddenly and coughed to clear her embarrassment. "So. It's Thanksgiving today. Shall I still fix the dinner?"

XXX

Once the embarrassment was finally cleared, they started to prepare the meal. It was just going to be simple. A small turkey breast for Randall and the common sides of mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, and asparagus and cranberries. Danielle even tired her hand at a sweet potato pie.

They worked together, even laughing and joking about amusing stories at past holiday dinners with their families.

When they finally sat down, Danielle found that she was enjoying herself. All of her past holidays had always ended with a fight with her mother and sister. This was the first time in years that she had truly enjoyed herself at a holiday.

Randall meanwhile felt relaxed for the first time in years. The stress of the years on working on the Scream Extractor began to lift as he found himself enjoying the human's company. It was almost enough for him to forget his own worries and emotional baggage at the time.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Also, I want to let all know that I have fan art up on DeviantART under the name BlackNaginata.**

**Also I'm not changing the rating, but I want to warn that this chapter has some adult discussions. Not heavy, but they are mentioned. And we find out a little more about them.**

**Chapter 15**

XXX

Danielle was incredibly warm and comfy when her alarm clock started beeping its shrill command for her to awaken. Groaning a little, she reached over and patted the tormentor to silence it, gave another sigh, and rolled over while pulling the cream and lavender colored blanket nearly over her head, not wishing to leave this comfortable position any time soon.

It took a second for her sleepy mind to comprehend the fact that the alarm had gone off at 6:30 in the morning. She began to whine and grumbled to herself as she got up and began to drag herself around the room to find clothes. She had forgotten how early she had to get up so that she could make it to her first class of the day. Finally getting dressed and shooing the two animals off her bed so she could make it, she stumbled out of the room and made her way to the kitchen. The house was quiet except for the clicking of Bread's toenails against the tile. She began the pot of coffee and fed her pets. Having a feeling that the smell of coffee would wake Randall, she went ahead and set out another mug.

Her intuition was right. Randall came stumbling into the kitchen just as Danielle sat down with her coffee. She took a deep drink and set her mug down and propped her head up and watched as Randall yawned and poured coffee into his own mug and walked over to the table carrying it.

"What are you doing up so early?" he mumbled after another yawn then took a sip of coffee.

"School," Danielle murmured while her eyes began to drift close.

Randall smiled faintly as he stood at the end of the table and watched as Danielle began to nod off. He watched as her eyes closed fully and her body sag into the chair and forgot about the coffee in front of her.

He took another drink from his mug as he watched her. After she hadn't moved for five minutes, he took another drink of his coffee, almost finishing it. _Waste not want not, _he thought. With an amused look in his eyes, he reached out and took her coffee in his right lower hand and held it as he began to walk around the table closer to Danielle. He lifted his left top arm that had been folded and held it over her shoulder; he waited then tapped her.

"Gaa!" Danielle jumped and looked around. "I'm up, I'm up!" with those words she jumped up and ran around the house to finish gathering her things together. She tried to pull on her shoes while walking and did a horrible job of it. She fell against the wall and groaned and finally had to stop just so she could pull on her shoes. She grabbed her case and just before she opened the front door, she turned and dashed back to Randall, who had leaned up against the doorframe and was watching the show as he finished his own coffee. He had just been ready to bring Danielle's stolen cup up to his lips when she pulled it away and took a long drink and shoved it back into his hands. She then spun on her heel and hurried back to the door. "Gotta go! Try not to burn the house down and try to stay out of trouble," she turned to wink at him and then disappeared out the door.

"Very funny," Randall mumbled to himself, though he couldn't help the smile on his face. He heard the truck door slam then start up and peel off down the road. He looked back down at the half empty cup that he had stolen from Danielle. He sighed and turned to go get some more coffee.

XXX

The professor was just closing the door as Danielle arrived. He glared at her, but let her in anyways. She uttered some brief apologies for her lateness, and took a seat next to a beautiful tall mocha colored African-American.

"What do you know…she's alive! She takes off from school, from work and doesn't call?" she hissed sarcastically.

Danielle responded with a long groan. She had forgotten all about her friend. "I'm so so so so sorry!" she whispered back. "I something had to come up and I forgot to call you!"

The beauty huffed and crossed her arms as she tapped her pen against her arm. Lissette Miller tossed her long braided hair over her shoulder then softened. She leaned closer to Danielle. "So what was it? You're not one to skip."

"I got… distracted, and had to take off on short notice." Danielle pulled out her pen and notebook and began to write down the reading assignment for the following week on the board.

Lissette's almost black eyes seemed to brighten, "So is it anyone I know?"

Danielle's pen scratched cross the paper leaving a long black mark. "What!" she asked in a shrill whisper.

Lissette sniggered, "You didn't call. I figured the Gator, or an alligator ate you. By the way, how's old Pickle Face Margot?"

"She's fine. She asked if I would sell the house again." Danielle whispered back, glad that they were in the back of the class and the teacher couldn't see or hear them as he continued to write on the board.

"The nerve. So, back to that someone? Who is it?" Lissette asked as she didn't bother to write anything down.

"There is no one!" Danielle whispered a little too fiercely and quickly.

The young woman smirked. "Sure. You're blushing like mad. Who, who?" she said sounding like an owl.

"Aren't you going to write any of this down?" Danielle tried to change the subject.

"I'll just copy off of you later."

Danielle sighed a long-suffering sigh and continued to write down her notes.

XXX

Later that day right before Danielle's last class she had an hour-long break. She relaxed as Lissette sat down beside her under a large Magnolia tree and handed Danielle her notebook back. "Here. You know, I think I figured out your problem," she announced as she brushed off a bug.

Danielle rolled her eyes as she took a bite of her apple. "Really? So what is it?"

"I think that even though you act like you hate every single guy on the face of the earth you…."

"I don't hate every single guy. I just have no time for them right now." Danielle said as she put an annoyed look on her face.

"You're weird girly. You live alone out in the swamp with only your pets for company. You work all the time. When you aren't doing that you're at the zoo…"

"I work because someone has to pay the taxes on the house. I struggle with classes enough I don't need some guy distracting me."

"You know," Lissette continued as if she didn't hear Danielle, "sometimes I think you act so weird because you're crazy from sexual frustration."

Danielle choked on her water. "Lissette!"

The woman grinned at her. "You're a prude, Dan. I mean who was the last guy you went out with?"

Danielle had to think for a minute. "Sean Evans."

"Oh yeah. I remember him, your second ever boyfriend. If you can call the creep a boyfriend. You two had what…five dates? What was it that happened again?"

Danielle wrinkled her nose, she remembered the creep. He had been her second boyfriend and a lesson well learned that most guys were creeps. All he wanted was a girl for a steady supply of sex. After the first date he had expected her to jump into bed with him. She was able to hold him off for at least two more, stupid her thinking that it he would respect her decision to wait until she knew him a bit longer. But he pressured and since she had been so lonely that she was willing to go out with almost anyone and since she was no stranger to the bedroom visits she had given in and quickly found out that's all he had wanted. Someone for sex. She wasn't that stupid. She quickly caught on and told him no more. In return he had called her a fat baby faced reptile freak in accordance to the tattoos on her back.

But she was grateful for one thing; Sean had taught her a very important lesson. Sometimes it's preferable to be alone than with a creep that you can't stand!

"I wizened up." Danielle deadpanned.

They were silent for a few minutes before the two women laughed. Lissette became silent, a crafty smirk sprouting on her scarlet lips. It was a look that Danielle was all too familiar with.

"Oh no, Liss."

"What? You don't know what I'm going to say!" she protested.

"I have a feeling. Don't," Danielle continued.

"C'mon. It's nothing… except Michael's brother Dylan likes you."

"Liss—" she warned.

"All I'm trying to say is that Dylan's a nice guy and you would like him tons. And don't make any plans this Saturday night."

"You already told him I would go?" Danielle said, glaring at the conniving woman.

She gave a dismissive shrug. "It doesn't matter. It's not like you have anything productive planned. Don't skimp on the details either. I want a full report from you."

"Christ!" Danielle's voice was starting to rise.

"Shh!" She held a finger to her mouth, grinning like a mad hatter. "Trust me. You will thank me later."

"I'm not going!"

"Look at the time!" Lissette gasped. "Ciao!" the young woman was up and out of sight in seconds, leaving a very steamed Danielle behind.

XXX

Randall had waited a good two hours before he made his move. He slipped out the door and closed the front door behind him. He took a deep breath and then steeled himself and made his way down the road. He walked along the side of the long road, in the tall grass, not at all keen on having sore and busied feet from walking on the gravel road. He had wanted to do this ever since Thanksgiving but had to wait until Danielle had left for the day. He knew that she wouldn't like his idea one bit. He wasn't sure he even liked the idea. Randall was in no desire to really get close to his attempted murderers, but he had promised himself that they would pay somehow. He had no definite plan, not yet. He couldn't even hope to do anything yet, not with his leg still in the pink cast. Right now he just had plans to watch them. To learn their patterns and schedule then make plans.

Randall walked on, enjoying the walk after almost a month of being inactive. Occasionally he would stop and taste the air, trying to pinpoint off far the nasty little trailer was from him. He had no desire for them to see him. He stopped again and closed his eyes and let his long snake-like tongue slip out of his mouth to taste the air. He made a face at the bitter scent on the air. They must be close, so he walked on for a few more minutes and then quickly disappeared, blending into his surroundings. He was glad for the tall grass that hid the still visible pink cast. He carefully slipped closer until he saw the trailer. It was tiny and a dirty white. Trash and other nameless things were scattered around. Randall made a face and lowered himself to the ground on all eight limbs and slithered through the grass and made a quick beeline to a tree. He easily climbed it and positioned himself high in the tree to watch the trailer. There was no movement at the moment and as he looked down at the trailer he tried his best to keep his thoughts from slipping into the dark memories of that night. He tried hard but it was becoming harder.

As he stared at the home, he gritted his teeth in hate and it took all of his self-control not to launch out of the tree and run up to the trailer and throw open the door and take all his fear, hate and frustration out on the occupants of the trailer. He began to think of all kinds of dark evil things he could do. By the time he had picked his favorite one; an idea that consisted of him feeding the humans to the true alligators of the swamp piece by piece while they were still alive after he had beaten them upside the head with a shovel, he had been in the tree for two hours.

He groaned then blinked at his evil thoughts. _When had I become so vindictive and __evil minded? _He thought to himself. _When you have had your brain smacked around inside your skull_, a little voice told him. He snorted and stretched then wrapped his body more securely around the limb he was stretched out on. He had his green eyes open, not worried about them being seen. The brown green leaves in the tree hid them if anyone ever cared to look.

The door to the trailer opened and then slammed close as the two humans stepped out.

"Finally," he hissed quietly to himself. He stared down and saw the humans clearly for the first time since that night. The boy, who had came out first, was tall and gawky with badly cut sandy brown hair. His large blue eyes seemed too big for his face and his ears stuck out ridiculously far. He was carrying what Randall easily recognized as a human's firearm. He had it slung against his shoulder. He said something low to his mother as she followed him to the edge of the swamp.

The old human female was tall and thin, with black hair that was streaked with white and gray pulled back in a bun. She was wrinkled but had a strong stern face. The woman also wore thick glasses, her eyes a pale gray. She said something to the boy and he nodded stupidly and then moved out into the swamp. The old woman watched him go then turned and went back into the trailer only to return to dump red water out onto the ground.

Randall was torn at the possibilities. Both humans were now alone and off by themselves. It would be all too easy to take them out. The end of his tail began to move repeatedly back and forth, a sign that he was in deep thought. He could and should take them out or at least hurt them enough to teach them a lesson and make him feel better. But then, if he did, Danielle would find out and she would know it was he, unless he mauled them enough to make it look like an alligator had done it. But again he knew the girl wasn't stupid. She would have her doubts. After he had told her about his past and how he ended up in the Human World, she had freaked out, it was perfectly understandable. She had forgiven and still cared for him though she had taken to locking her bedroom door. He knew, oh, yes. He knew she had begun locking it. He didn't say anything thing about it, though he had been slightly hurt.

But the clincher now was that she hadn't locked it Thanksgiving night.

She was beginning to trust him and he knew that if any physical harm would come to them she would have a feeling that he would behind it. It wasn't like she cared for the people. He had seen and heard the disgust and barely disguised dislike, but he also knew that she wouldn't want them dead. If she knew he had harm these humans the fragile trust that they were beginning to develop would be shattered and he still needed her. Much as he hated to admit it, he was reliant upon his human. Without Danielle, he had nothing in this world, no home, no job, nothing.

"So many choices," Randall mumbled to himself as he looked down at the trailer thoughtfully.

Xxx

When Randall made it back to Danielle's house he was slightly shocked that he hadn't done anything. He had the chance to but had decided against it, instead chose for a different course of action. When he walked into the house, he found that Danielle's pets were lying in the sun that was streaming in through the window. The old white and tan dog looked up at him and wagged her tail, her tongue lolling out. She blinked at him and grinned a stupid innocent dog's grin and laid her head back down. The cat however was curled up against the dog's belly. He glared at Randall and hissed at him as though he meant to tell Danielle about his little walk.

"What's your problem?" Randall asked as he stepped closer to the cat. It hissed again a low and wicked growl in its throat. "That's all you got?" Randall lowered his head and thrust it out opening his green eyes wide and bared his teeth. He flashed his fronds up and down, first lying flat against his head then straight up to their highest point. For add show he flushed the pink tips to blood red and back to pink. He glowed low and almost inaudibly. The cat heard it though. He backed down and looked away.

"I thought so." Randall was satisfied.

XXX

Randall right away sensed Danielle's mood as he looked up at the slam of the front door. He cocked his head and got up from the study where he had been reading through some of her books. He had to step back when she stomped past him and into her room. Curious now, he followed and stood in her doorway. Danielle had thrown her case down onto her bed and had picked up a pillow and buried her face in it.

"Arrrrrrraaaaa!"

Randall blink in amazement. For someone that had weak lungs she could belt out a good scream.

"I give that a 8. Would be a 10, but you smothered the sound and it was too short. But I do see potential."

Danielle slammed the pillow down and fell on her bed facedown.

Now slightly worried, Randall stepped hesitantly into the room. It was the one room he hadn't been in. he glance around quickly. The walls were a frosted mint green and the carpet was a dark cream and very soft as he sunk into the plush. There was a white oak closet to the left of the room and another room beside it that led to another bath. On the right side of the room was a large bay window with the blinds drawn.

He turned his attention back to Danielle. She was still laying facedown. He chucked and bent over her. "Now was that all about?"

She began to mumble into the lavender and cream bedspread.

"What?"

She sighed and turned her head; "My so called friend set me up on a blind date this Saturday."

Randall blinked then laughed. "Is that all? Here I thought it could be something worse."

Danielle made a very unlady like noise. "It is."

Now she had Randall's curiosity piqued. "You've caught my interest, Danielle. How bad can a blind date be?"

"Randall, have you even been on a blind date?" Danielle asked.

Randall looked thoughtful. "Yes, I have. Years ago when I was 19. It was set up by one of my few friends. She was pretty enough. Had long cream-colored fur and a face that looked that a softer version of one of your alligators only much smoother. Big maroon eyes. Keirai."

"Hmm. What happened?"

"She wasn't interested in me. She was more interested in my friend. But we parted on good terms." Randall's narrowed in thought, "I think they got married or was planning on it. The last I heard from them last year."

"But I've never had much luck with these things. I won't even like Dylan."

"Why? Does it have something to do with his looks? Race?" Randall scooted up unto the bed beside her, his long tail draped over the bed and resting on the floor the very end just barely moving, like a contented lazy cat.

"Nope. He's cute enough and nothing to do with his race. No, I just don't feel any attraction to him. He also has no personality. Besides like I told Lissette, I just have no time for them right now."

Randall clicked his tongue in a slight mocking way and gently patted her head like she was a pet. "So what are you going to do?"

Danielle turned over onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. "Not show up. What else can I do?" she continued to stare up at the ceiling. Suddenly Randall's head appeared in her line of vision.

"You could go."

"Why do you care?"

"I don't. But maybe you should give him a chance."

"I've known him for a few months. He's my friend's boyfriend's brother. I know I'm not interested so drop it. Besides all the people I know, myself included have all had failed blind dates or arranged dates in this case cause I already know him."

"Touché."

Danielle then really looked at him. Then looked around. He was sitting beside her on the bed, his torso arched over so that he could look down at her, his lower arms on either side of her, while his top arms were light crossed. It was wholly innocence but it still made her blush like mad. "Uh, Randall, can you move?"

Randall pulled back too; looking a little flushed himself though he easily hid it with a lazy smirk. Danielle sat up and hopped off the bed, Randall sliding off himself. She walked out of the room with Randall following. "So, I see that the house is still in one piece. While I was trying to better myself what did you do today?"

They had gotten to the living room. "Nothing much. I spent a lot of it outside." Suddenly Randall spied the cat sitting on the couch washing his face. The animal turned and looked at him and meowed, pausing in his rigorous cleaning… his expression almost smug. Randall had the distinct feeling that if he could've talked that he would be tattling on Randall.

"I really need too find you something to do." Danielle looked thoughtful. "Hey, Randall…do you like video games?"


	16. Chapter 16

**Alright, after that one nasty PM that I received I almost stopped this story which clearly this is what the person wanted, but after reading all the other comments and reviews, I decided that I WILL continue writing. So, that person, if you are reading this…I will not stop….no matter how nasty you may get.**

**Also I'm not changing the rating, but I want to warn that this chapter has some adult discussions. Not heavy, but they are mentioned. And we find out a little more about them.**

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the move came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Also, I want to let all know that I have fan art up on DeviantART under the name BlackNaginata.**

**Chapter 16**

XXXX

Danielle was digging through the closet in her old bedroom that was at the moment Randall's. She had been in there all morning ever since breakfast was over. She didn't have a class until three in the evening. She knew that she had an old game console somewhere in the closet. It was just the matter of finding it. Currently, she completely in the closet. Tons of boxes were stacked outside of the closet and around in the room.

"Really need to label some of these. Or just get rid of this junk. Why _do_ I have all this junk?" she groaned as she turned with a heavy box in her arms. "Ahhhh!"

She had turned the moment Randall turned visible behind her. Danielle dropped the box, it narrowly missing her toes and staggered back into the closet then tripped over a box and fell down hard. "Oof."

Randall began laughing as she glared up at him, her shoulder length hair in her face.

"Randall! Why do you kept doing that?" She growled at him as she picked herself up, pushing her hair out of her eyes.

"Because it amuses me."

"Well I am not here... to amuse you."

"And yet you seem to be doing a good job at it." Randall said while still snickering.

"Oh shut up." Danielle groaned as she stood back up.

Randall shook his head and leaned against the closet's doorframe. "So…what _are_ you doing?"

Danielle glared at him a bit longer then sighed. "I have a game console…if I can _find_ it." she turned back to the closet and picked up the box that she dropped and hauled it over to the bed. She flipped the lid and began to dig around in the box. She pulled out a large binder and flipped it open then made a face, closed it and set it aside and dug through the box some more.

Randall came around and picked up the binder.

Danielle saw this and her eyes widened. "Randall don't you dare!" It was too late. He opened it and saw that it was full of photographs.

He sent her an amused playful smile. "Why? I would help but I have no idea what this game system of yours looks like. I would be more of a hindrance then a help. So while you are doing that I'll just look through these." his green eyes went back down to the photos.

Danielle groaned and rolled her eyes up to the ceiling, her face clearly saying, 'I give up.' She began to dig back through the box as Randall leaned against, the faded pink wall flipping through the folder. Occasionally he would let out a chuckle at the photos of her and her sister when they were younger as well as seeing pictures of her parents and other humans that were either family or friends.

Danielle shoved the box across the bed and turned to pick up another box when she heard Randall burst out laughing. She looked over her shoulder at him then lifted the box and set it on the bed. "What humiliating picture did you find?"

Clearly not trusting himself to speak, he turned the album around so the she could see it. It was of her when she was around 9. She had been wearing a purple t-shirt and a pair of shorts; one had to really look that the picture to see what color they were for she was almost covered from head to toe in with brown and green mud and slime, her much longer hair at the time was matted and also dripping with the muck. The young Danielle was glaring at whomever was taking the picture, though her face was all scrunched up like she also getting ready to cry.

"Eww. I remember that. Goes to show my sister was a bitch even at 16. She had just gotten that camera and since she had no desire to photograph any nature shots, she decided to push me into the swamp. There is a small soggy area down a path just past the barn. She talked me into going with her and once there, while my back was turned, she came up and just shoved me into the knee deep marsh." Danielle growled as she stared hatefully at the picture.

Randall was trying his hardest not to laugh as he glanced at the picture again. "S-so what did you do?"

Danielle was still glaring at the picture. She lifted her eyes and turned the glare to Randall. She could clearly see him struggling not to laugh, but she still didn't appreciate the choked back sniggers. "Don't laugh. It wasn't really that funny. Do you know how hard it is to get the smell of stagnate water out of hair? Very hard. I have never cried so hard in my life after that sisterly bonding time." The glare faded as a memory came back to her. She began to dig through the new box that she pulled out. A wicked smile crossed her face. "But I did get my revenge later that week. I had began to round up all the frogs and toads I could find. I kept them in a few totes out in the barn that I had hidden since Margot never went out there. When I had gathered up close to fifty toads and frogs, late one night I snuck out to the barn and began to bring them in. I set them loose in her room. Imagine the surprise she had when she woke up. Her room had the little hoppers everywhere." Danielle glanced slyly at Randall when he cracked up again.

"What happened then?" He asked after he got himself under control again.

Danielle had been laughing along with him, enjoying the fond memories of her sweet revenge.

"Oh, I got grounded of course. I would have had had the switch taken to me if my father didn't intervene. He had thought it was hilarious. Even though Mom, who is a tough little Cajun who doesn't mind getting her hands dirty and Margot was a prissy grily girl, she had always favored my sister, while I was a daddy's girl." She sighed and closed that box as well and pushed it aside. She glanced at her watch. She had two hours to look before she had to head to school. She looked over at her closet. There were five more boxes. "I bet that it's in that last box." She walked back and got the next one, "But anyway, the two weeks of being grounded was worth it." She began to go through the new box. She pulled out a two-foot green and purple stuffed plush of a lizard. "Oh my god, I remember this. I got this thing when I was in the hospital." She gently set the toy aside then began to finish looking though the box. She sighed in disgust and closed the box.

As she turned back to the closet Randall picked up the toy. It flopped in his hands. "Why were you in the hospital?"

"Gee Randall, I never thought you would be so nosy." Danielle said and she set another box down on the bed.

"I'm not. Just naturally curious. Besides you brought it up." Randall looked back down at the toy and made a face and dropped it back onto the bed.

"It's the same thing and touché. I had a very bad asthma attack when I was 13. I had ran home all the way from the LaGide's after I saw them…. well. Let's just say that what I saw was not pretty. My dad got that for me. He was my favorite for a long time. I put him up because I had to take care of my niece and nephew for a week a year ago. That's why I have the game system. I just forgot to get him back out." She began go through the box but stopped very soon when she saw that it was just old toys of her niece and nephew. She grabbed the next box. "So, Randall," she said as she began to browse through the next box, "what about you?"

"What about me?" He had returned to flipping the album. He glanced up at her.

"Were you born in Monstropolis? Who were your family? Any siblings?"

Randall snorted, "Gee Danielle, I never thought you would be so nosy." He threw her words back at her.

She shrugged, his tone not bothering her at all. "Hey, just cause I'm studying to be a veterinarian, doesn't mean the idea of a parallel world isn't fascinating. People wonder whether or not there is such a thing and you are living proof. I think that it's fascinating that almost everything you have told me about your world is almost the same as in this. Besides you know about me some."

"Fair enough. I was an only child. I was born in a small rural town that consisted mainly of reptilian like monsters. There isn't much to say only that we moved to Monstropolis in my last year of high school and that's when everything began to go down hill. Though Monstropolis is the largest city, there were far less reptilian monsters. The city was just not that popular for them. This of course put me on the spot there. It's also were I met Sullivan and Wazowski. We didn't really get along even then, only insults in passing. They stuck with their own crowd and I stuck with my smaller crowd. I was never really a people person. But thankfully that year passed in a blur. I went on to college, Monstropolis Monster University, where I had mentioned that I studied mechanical engineering. I gradated and got a job at Monsters Inc. The rest they say is history."

"Wait, wait. Come on, there's more then that! I mean what about friends, girlfriends, parents?" Danielle had been going through the boxes. She stopped when she picked up the last box. She had a feeling that the item she had been searching for would be in this box. It's _always _in the last box. She leaned against the box taking a break. What Randall had told her was too short and simple. There had to be more. She didn't know why she was curious. But she figured that part of it was that he was interesting and not just the fact that he was a being from an other World, but because of his personality.

"You are a rather curious little human do you know that?" Randall looked slightly annoyed, as he crossed his two sets of arms after he had laid the binder down. "I had friends. There were a few close ones, but as years go one and life comes along, you grow apart. I'm sure that has happened with you. As for any girlfriends…I had a few. There was one girl that I knew for about a year. We got along great. I don't think it would have ended in something more…committed, but it was close. I broke it off sometime after I became involved with the Scream Extractor. It was for the best. There is one other monster that I haven't told you about. His name was Fungus. A little pinkish monster with legs like a chicken and three eyes. He was smart. Too smart for his own good. He was my assistant and one day he found out about the Scream Extractor project. He was threatened by Waternoose to help me and to keep his trap shut or face banishment." Randall scoffed, "The nervous wreak of a monster agreed to help me. If you think I'm a mess, then you should see him. My own temper and deteriorating patience sent him in nervous breakdowns. I'm surprised that he was able to keep his mouth shut cause he would _never shut up!_ He was a blabbering mess. But if the girl had found out…she could have faced the same threat. It was for the best. By then I was halfway done with the thing. Proud that I created the thing, hoping that I would get what I was promised and get on with my _own life_. I also wondered if my parents would approve of what I was doing. I wanted to make them proud by making a name for myself." Randall frowned then snorted in disgust and regret. He looked away from Danielle, not meeting her eyes. "I'm _sure _they would be_ so proud_ of their son now. It makes me glad that they are dead so they can't see me now."

Danielle drew a sharp intake of air. She could see the pain on his face though it was turned away from her. She felt ashamed of herself for asking but it was too late now. She didn't even know what to really say. Her own parents were still alive and as much as her and her mother didn't get along, she still loved her parents. She stood from where she had sat down on the bed while Randall was talking. She didn't even hesitate as she put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. You may not believe me, but I think that your parents would still be proud of you no matter what."

Randall took to look at her. He felt annoyance and anger at her for asking though to be fair to her, she had told him about her own family. He wanted to shrug her hand off and push her away, telling her that she had had no idea on how he felt, her parents were at least still alive…but he didn't. He looked away in embarrassment but again felt touched that she cared. "Yeah, well…thanks." Anxious to change the still sore subject, he walked over to the box that she had forgotten on the bed. "So…this is the last box in the closet right?"

Danielle blinked and nodded. "Yeah. The stupid thing should be in there. I know I had put it in a box and that it got shoved into this closet."

Randall opened the box and in it there was a mess of tangled wires and two strange controllers and a larger dark grey almost black plastic box. Danielle peered into the box at the mess of tangled wires and groaned. "Great. Well at least we found it."

"What is it?" he lifted one of the strange controllers. It was shaped almost like W with a colorful array of buttons and a joystick.

"It's a Nintendo 64. Margot got for the kids about two years ago. It came out five years ago. I never cared for video games so when they went back home and left it here I just unhooked it and tossed it into the box." She began to look through the box and then groaned again. "Just my luck. They took the games. Go figure." she then glanced at her watch. "Great. I have to leave. I had hoped to have this set up for you before I left…and the boxes back in the closet."

Finished looking it over Randall dropped the controller back into the box, . "You go on. I'll put the boxes back."

"You sure? Cause you can leave them. If you would need to rest you could use the couch or even my bed. You don't have to-"

Randall waved a hand cutting her off. "I'm sure. I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want to. Go to your class."

Danielle smiled and nodded. "Thanks. I owe you one. There's no particular order. If any of them are too heavy just leave them I'll get them when I-"

"Danielle. Go. I got it." Randall smirked at her ramblings.

"Ok, ok. I'm going." Danielle grabbed the box with the game in it and carried it into the living room and set it on the coffee table, then grabbed her case and keys and took off out the door.

XXX

Danielle again just barely made it to her only class that she had on Friday's. It was her least favorite class. Math 101. The two hours seemed to drag on and on. Finally when it was time for the class to be over, she started to hurry out to catch up with Lissette. Lissette's brother was hard gamer and lived only two blocks away from the collage. She was going to see if she could get Lissette to talk him into letting Danielle borrow a few games. She was caught when the teacher called out to her.

"Danielle DeMarsh…can I talk to you for a minute?"

Danielle froze. She swallowed and turned to face the elderly woman. **"**Uh-oh."

The professor laughed slightly, "Don't worry - it's nothing bad. I wanted to say that your paper on trigonometric functions was one of your best. There were some really detailed descriptions in there. I knew you were holding back in the math. I mean you have always seemed to struggle with math but this paper was beautifully written. I sure hope expect all of your _other_ assignments to be up to par with this work. One more like this then you are sure to pass this class." She turned away and picked up the paper that that was lying on her desk. "Here. I would be really proud of yourself."

Danielle forced a smile, though she groaned. Now, she was feeling the repercussion from asking for help from Randall on the paper. She felt the horrible twang of guilt. She looked down at the paper and saw the highest points she had ever gotten on any paper that she had written for the class. She felt positively dreadful. Not only that, but her professor would again, like she said expect all of her assignments be just this good. She walked out of the room, groaning again, this time from regret of her own irresponsibility.

She stopped and looked down at the paper. The red points seemed to be mocking her. She groaned yet again.

"Do you need an aspirin or something, Danielle?" asked Lissette.

Danielle spun around and saw Lissette leaning against the wall outside the classroom. "No. I'm fine."

Lissette detached herself from the wall and fell into step beside her. "Good, cause Dylan is really hyped about tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night? What's tomorrow night?"

Lissette sniggered, but didn't comment on it. "You know. The date. I was thinking something classy like a movie and a dinner or a dinner and a movie or you both could go back your place-" Lissette was cut off when Danielle all but screamed.

"NO!"

"What?"

Danielle flushed at all the faces staring at her like she was lunatic. "No, I mean no. I'm not going. I told you-"

"Hello Danielle, Lissette." an average looking light skinned African-American greeted them. He had very short curly honey brown hair and dark brown eyes. Thick glasses were perched on his nose and he was dressed rather well. He was in complete contrast to his taller slightly darker brother. Michael, Lissette's current boyfriend wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. She giggled and brushed his long wavy hair away from her neck.

Danielle watched, feeling uncomfortable and out of place at the scene, but also watched with a certain curiosity and slight jealousy. She turned to Dylan. He had been watching with an even more indifferent expression then she had. "So Dylan…about tomorrow night…."

He turned his attention to her. "Yeah. So I figured we could go to this lector that's being held. Morre Everson is speaking. He's going to be talking about amoebas, then we can go to the frozen yogurt stand and we can discuses it."

Danielle forced a smile. "That's what I wanted to talk about. As fascinating as that sounds….I do have other plans."

She watched as the slightly nerdy boy deflate a little. "I-I thought you wouldn't have plans." he glanced over at Lissette and his brother. They were still clinging onto one another but were now watching them.

"I'm sorry, but _someone_," Danielle glanced over at Lissette, "didn't see if I had plans. Lissette had the decently to blush.

"Oh."

"Hey, cheer up little bro," Michael detangled himself from Lissette and wrapped an arm around his little brother. "I'm sure you can find someone else. I'll catch you later Liss, and I do mean to catch you." He winked at his girlfriend who giggled and blew a kiss as he led his depressed brother away.

"I look forward to it baby!" she called after him.

"Eww," Danielle wrinkled her nose.

"Oh you Little Miss Prude," Lissette turned back to Danielle. "Oh my, did you see the poor boy's face. It looked like he was about to cry-"

"Stop it. Just stop it. I don't want no guilt trips. I have better things to do then listen in on a seminar of amoebas."

Lissette pouted for a few minutes. "Fine. So really what are you doing that's so important? You sure there isn't anyone you're hiding away from me?"

Danielle growled in frustration, beginning to sound and look as grumpy as Randall without his coffee. "Yes! I do have someone!" she finally just gave in to get the woman off her back.

"I knew it! You sly girl. It's always the quiet ones! So what's his name? What's he like what does he _look _like, what's he do and most important…. when can I met him?" Lissette's face lit up with glee.

Danielle felt like banging her head against the wall as her friend continued to pester her about it. Finally she caved some more. "His name is Randall, he's temperamental but very smart, he's a inch or two shorter then me with intense green eyes, he…builds machines and he's only here for a short while. I don't know if I'll ever see him again."

"Aww how sweet. You want him all to yourself then." Lissette winked at her friend. "I hope you are using protection."

Danielle turned bright red as she blushed furiously. "Is there any alligators nearby? I will voluntarily allow myself be eaten."

XXX

"This is why I hate video games!"

"I never thought you to be a sore loser Danielle." Randall snickered.

"I'm not. It's just it's kinda embarrassing that you are beating me, _human_ at a _human's _video game when you must be used to the games in your world." Danielle grumbled as the game flashed Randall's higher score across the TV.

When she had gotten home after borrowing a few games from Lissette's brother, she had hooked the game system up while dinner was cooking. When the dishes was done and out of the way she brought out the three games that she was gotten, Super Mario 64, Doom 64, and F1 Racing Championship which was the game they were currently playing. After Danielle had explained the basics, she had been rather amazed at how fast Randall caught on. At first he had a little trouble in that his thick fingers weren't precisely ideal for working the buttons on the controller. But that's what _four _hands were for and pretty soon he was flying the car around the racetrack while Danielle struggled to keep hers from crashing.

"You know," Randall sniggered as he passed the flaming mess of Danielle's fifth car, "I'm surprised that you even make it to and from the city in one piece if you drive this bad in game."

"Shut up…." Danielle's car reset its self, her tongue stuck out in concentration as her car made it around the track five times without crashing and burning or getting stuck in the pits. She glanced at Randall. He was leaning back into the couch, his tail dangling over the arm of the couch and his main body almost in the middle of the coach close her. He had the controller in his top hands, having abandoned using all four hands once he got used to using the controller. He had a look of heavy concentration as he zipped the car around and past Danielle's. Suddenly he flinched his car close to hers and Danielle panicked and she hit the wrong button which caused her car to spun and then crash into the wall, going up in flames.

The words Player 1 wins flashed across the screen.

Randall laughed out loud, an almost higher octave then his speaking voice. The laugh was joyful and he beamed at pride as he stood up as did graceful stances, posing his smooth elegance in some brilliant moves.

Danielle watched him boast little, a small sour look on her face. But she didn't really care. The shear pride at winning something as small as a video game seemed to make him happy so really who cared? He was enjoying himself that was for sure and she was enjoying watching him. But it didn't mean she couldn't have a little fun while she was at it.

Randall wasn't paying her any attention and that was a mistake. A well-aimed cushion hit him in the belly and another hit him in his board grinning face.

Danielle began laughing at his shocked look, which distracted her. Randall picked up one of the cushions and used it to smack her mercilessly. She continued to giggle while he picked up the other and began to smack her with both. Finally gasping for air she was able to squeak out." Okay, you win!"

Randall stopped and pulled back allowing the cushions to fall. He crossed all four arms and smirked while she had to drag out he inhaler she so could breathe again. "That's what I thought."

"You're very egotistical. Did you know that?"

" I am not egotistical, just very competitive."

"Well fine then, but I'll bet you can't beat me at chess!" If he was indeed competitive then Danielle knew Randall wouldn't refuse a challenge. Chess. It was a game that she had never lost. Not once in her life.

The chess match that followed was long and hard and intense.

"Checkmate." Randall said rather smugly with a cheeky grin on his smoky purple face.

"Damn."


	17. Chapter 17

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the move came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Also, I want to let all know that I have fan art up on DeviantART under the name BlackNaginata.**

**Ok, DarkraixCresselia, you know what to look for. It's in here twice!**

**Also I want to thank shadows-play for the idea at the beginning of this chapter!**

**Chapter 17**

XXX

It wasn't just raining. It was pouring. The rain came down in sheets and the wind hammered against the windowpanes. The weather outside had dropped way below normal. All in all it was not a pleasant day.

But Danielle was going to make the most of it. Tomorrow she would start back at the zoo for her volunteer work and she was trying to make the most of her last free day. She was curled up in her favorite chair, in a green sweater and jeans and socks. She was reading one of the many books she had picked up from the library and had the radio playing really low as not to bother Randall. He was having one of his headaches and was currently stretched out on the couch, barely even fitting, though somehow managed to look quite comfortable.

Danielle turned the page but stopped when she heard the scratching at the door. She looked over at Bread. The old dog was pawing the pet door to be let out for her "business."

She let out a frustrated groan, the book she had been reading had suddenly revealed a really complex plot twist and she really wanted to see what happened next. She eyed the dog. "Ten years old and you still haven't learned to go out the door, but can come in? I thought you Corjacks were supposed to be smart," she said softly with annoyance as she stared at the dog. All Bread did was whine pitifully. With a sigh, Danielle reluctantly threw her book aside and tip toed carefully by the sofa that Randall was sleeping on, careful not to wake him up. Just as she reached the end of the couch, she heard a sharp yowl.

Butter had been lying on the floor by the floor grate that was currently was admitting warm air when his tail had been trodden on by her. Danielle dropped down on her knees to see if Butter was alright.

"Oh, baby! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" she reached out a hand to the cat who had turned his back on her and was glaring at her over his shoulder while his tail swished back and forth violently.

"What are you doing?" Randall had propped himself up on his second set of arms, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with the first set. The thud of Danielle's knees suddenly hitting the floor must have woken him.

"I stepped on Butter's tail. I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep."

"It's kinda hard to sleep when someone is stomping around like an yeti." Randall let slip. He couldn't help himself because of a mixture of annoyance and sleepiness but the moment the words were out of his mouth he was wide-awake. He knew had had just said the wrong thing when Danielle's eyes turned sharply towards the tired purple lizard like monster. Her eyes narrowed and she put her hands on her hips from where she was kneeling on the floor.

If looks could kill Randall had the feeling he would be six feet under. Her nostrils almost flared with anger. Randall realized far too late that his insult would cost him as Danielle reached over and grabbed a small cushion pillow from off of the couch and hurled it straight at Randall.

He ducked and it sailed over him and landed across the room. "Pillow fight again? I thought that you would have realized that you will never win against me?" he really couldn't help but bait her.

Danielle growled, "You keep on and the next thing I throw at you will be a shoe…. and I _won't_ miss." she stood up and walked to the door and opened it. Bread shot out as fast as her short and old legs could carry her.

Randall grinned. He was wide awake and his former headache was now gone. He waited until her back was turned then he reached behind him and picked up the pillow he had been using, aimed, then hurled the projectile at his human, hitting her squarely in the face the moment she turned to face him.

Danielle wanted to howl in fury as the pillow fell into her hands. She glared at Randall. He was feeling better was he? Good. Then she wouldn't feel bad if she did her own revenge. She'll put him to work. Ignoring him, she walked into the kitchen and grabbed a dishtowel and went back to the front door to wait for Bread. She really didn't want muddy paw prints tracked across her floors. Hearing her dog fixing to come through the pet door, she reached down and grabbed the dog by the collar before she could take off through the house. Danielle dried the damp dog off and cleaned her paws and then turned her loose. She watched as the dog walked over to where Butter had laid back down and curled up beside the cat to suck up body heat.

Still ignoring Randall, she then went back to the kitchen and tossed the dirty dishrag into the washer and pulled out cleaning supplies. She knew his curiosity and her ignoring him would get the better of him and he would have to see what she was doing. She had found out he was almost too curious for his own good. She sometimes wondered if he had always been like this or if it was because he was still interested and learning about this world despite the fact both worlds were almost the same.

XX

Randall stood leaning on the doorframe watching his human scrub with unnecessary force at a stubborn spot of dirt at the corner of the kitchen counter.

He had been doing this for the past few minutes before he finally cleared his throat and dodged as a wet rag flew at his head.

"Geez, Danielle, jumpy much?" he grumbled.

"Well if you would _quit_ sneaking up on me!" she snapped. "Toss me that rag back, will you?"

Randall handed the rag back but was pinned with a glare, "Well, are you going to stand there and watch, or are you going to help me?" she asked.

"I guess. I mean…I can give you a hand, even four," he said walking up closer to her. She handed him a rag and pointed him to the stove.

They worked together in silence until Danielle spoke up. "Tomorrow is the day I begin to start on my old schedule which means I will have to be gone longer during the day. When I work at the zoo, I don't get off until 2:30 or even 5 sometimes and when I began to go back to work I won't be home until about 1 in the morning."

Randall had paused in scrubbing the stove. He nodded taking this in. "And you are basically asking me to behave while I'm here."

"You got it bucko."

"Bucko?"

She just gave him an impish smile. "Anyway…"

"I won't burn the house down." Randall said a bit mocking.

"That nice to know, but what I was going to ask, have you got any plans on what you are going to do?" Danielle's annoyance had faded and she dropped the cleaning rag into the bucket and took Randall's away from him.

He crossed his arms and looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure. Do what I have been doing I guess."

Danielle looked him and sighed, "Really wish I had more for you to do. Games, TV, and the few books I have will last only so long. I could leave the laptop here for you. The college loans laptops, I could use one of those in class. You do know how to use a computer?"

Randall eyed her and then gave her one of his infamous are-you-stupid looks.

"Never mind. I forget sometimes. I can pick up different books from the library. Anything in particular you might like? I know you can look stuff up on the Internet but sometime service out here is terrible." Danielle finished putting the cleaning supplies away and opened the backdoor. She stared out across the lawn. It was still pouring, the dark sky making it dark. The already soggy ground was even soggier; standing pools of water was building up in the yard.

"Looks like a lake."

Danielle jumped slightly, and then looked over her shoulder. Randall was looking out the door from over her shoulder. She stepped to the side and he stepped up beside her.

"Yeah. Hope it doesn't rain for too long. The a few miles down the road always fills up with water and though the truck is sturdy it doesn't like the water. It'll get flooded. So… those books?" she shivered as a blast of cold air hit them and she quickly shut the door.

He looked thoughtful. "Any books on engines. I'm still wondering how human cars really work. Your knowledge is no help at all."

She shot him slight annoyed look, "Gee thanks." she then nodded. "Alright. So… hey, do you wanna watch a movie?"

Randall shrugged, "Why not?"

"What type of movies do you like? I have some horror, some action, and some drama. No chick flicks…I hate those." she inspected her movie library.

"Chick flicks?"

"Yeah. I'm sure you have them in Monstropolis. You know movies that is mainly aimed at women."

"Ah. Yeah, those." he looked thoughtful. "Horror is alright. I do like other kinds too."

Danielle still wasn't sure what the monster would like. What would a lizard like _monster_that used to _scare_ kids like to watch? She decided to let him pick and so she grabbed a handful of movies. "Well, I'll let you pick."

Randall looked at the covers for a second, and then chose a movie randomly.

"Ah ha..." smirked Danielle, trying hard to hold back fits of laughter, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Randall? I really don't think you'd like that one..."

Randall looked at the movie he'd selected for the first time. It had a picture of a blonde female human on the cover holding a sharp piece of wood. "Er.. Yes, I think so too." he muttered "So much for the values of random selection." This time, he actually looked at the covers as he chose...

"Ah, Beetlejuice? Much better. Not much…but better then Buffy." Danielle looked down at the Buffy movie. "Why do I have this? I don't remember…ah. Yeah. Liss. The movie's hers. She left it here the last time she spent the night." Danielle put it back in the movie case. "She tortured me with it. It was her source of amusement." she turned back to Randall. "You like popcorn?"

XX

As they watched the movie, Randall couldn't help but get ideas. They seemed slightly childish, but if they worked, nobody would get hurt and he would still get his revenge he still desperately craved. The movie it's self was silly, but amusing for a human's. He began asking questions like, 'do all humans believe in ghosts,'

"No." Danielle said as she watched the dead yuppie ghost couple walk through the hallways looking for their door. "Some do. Me I'm not sure, but if monsters are real, then I may not put it past the fact that ghosts could be real too. Mom really believes in ghosts. In fact most Cajuns that live in the bayous are very superstitious and believe all the stuff. Many still have a strong belief in ghosts and spirits. If I remember even the LaGide's believe in spirits that live in the swamp."

"Really? Interesting…" Randall trailed off thinking; a sly grin crossing his face as he watched the movie.

About halfway though the movie, their popcorn supply ran out, so Danielle reached for the remote control to pause the movie and declare an intermission. As she probed the space between them in vain search of the remote, her fingers met Randall's hand, and they both received quite the shock. Randall was jolted from the movie and his thoughts look at her as though she were completely insane and pull his hand away.

Danielle, too, moved her hand as quickly but instead of looking at Randall, she turned bright red during which the phone rang and scared Danielle and even casued Randall to jump.

Danielle wondered who in their right mind would be calling. She sighed and stood up and grabbed the phone from the kitchen so that Randall could continue to watch the movie.

"Hello?"

"Hello Dan! What are you doing?" the high pitched voice of Lissette Miller sang over the phone.

"Liss!" Danielle leaned against the counter. "Nothing much. Just spending this lovely day inside and watching a movie."

"Watching a movie or doing something else? Is this Randall there?"

"What! No!"

Liss laughed shrilly, "Oh Dan. You liar. Anyway can I come over?"

The phone slipped from Danielle's suddenly shaky grasp and banged against the wall. She grabbed it up. Liss's laughter rang through the phone line. "Don't try to stop us, because we're already on the way and nothing you can say will make us turn around…"

"Us?"

"Yeah. Michael's with me."

"Uh…" she peeked around the corner and into the living room. Randall was still engrossed in the movie and not paying her any mind. Thank god he could basically disappear but he will not like this.

"Where are you?"

"Just turning onto your road."

"HUH?"

Liss hung up with a chortle.

Danielle blanched... this was bad. Very, very bad!

"What's wrong?"

Danielle shrieked. She spun around. Randall was right behind her. "Liss... friend…coming... five minutes...!"All of this came in one breath; Randall was worried that Danielle would keel over.

"Well…I better hide."

"Yes!"

Randall pulled the cast and bandages off and quickly blended into his surroundings just as the car pulled up into the driveway. Danielle tossed the items into the closet again.

The second Danielle opened the door; she was nearly tackled by Lissette, who didn't have the self-restraint to warn her before she rushed at her with a hug. "Yeah, good to see you too," Danielle squeaked out as her friend tried her best to squeeze Danielle to death.

Michael laughed and helped pry Danielle away. "That's enough, let the poor girl breath," he laughed as he patted Danielle on the head.

Danielle ducked out the way shooing him off with a friendly wave. "Thanks Mike. So what you all doing out this way?"

Liss flopped herself down on the couch. "What? Can't I stop by and visit my best friend in the whole wide world?"

Danielle looked at her suspicion.

"We're actually also on our way to visit Lissette's parent's in Jonesboro." Michael put in.

"And…." Danielle didn't quite believe them.

Liss waved her arms in surrender, "Ok, ok, I also wanted to see if this Randall was here."

Danielle heard chagrin indrawn of a hiss from the right of her then slightest of brush of air as something walked past her. She was in trouble.

"Heh, as you can clearly see he's not here, " Danielle said rather shakily. She glanced down the dark hallway, and had to control her response when all she saw was Randall's bright green eyes and his white teeth bared in a angry growl.

Yep, she was in trouble. No, make that dead.

She glanced back at her two friends. They were staring at her in worry.

Liss sat up from the couch, "D…what's wrong? You look as white as a sheet."

Danielle swallowed and forced her fear down. "I'm fine, I thought…I was…going to have an asthma attack."

The looks that she got told her that they didn't believe it but let it go. "Anyway, so…where is this Randall?"

"He's at home. He'll be gone for awhile. Might not come back."

Liss gawked at her friend. "Really? And it's over like that? And it had barely begun. I wanted to meet him. Men are pigs."

"Hey, I resent that!"

"Sorry Michael." Liss sent an apologetic smile to her boyfriend then turned back to Danielle, "But really…you all right? You don't want to be alone? You can come to Jonesboro with us."

"No, I'm fine. We parted on still good terms?" she put a question in her comment, knowing that Randall was still listening. "Besides, I have work tomorrow."

"So? You're an assistant manager. It's not like they can fire you just like that!" Liss snapped her fingers.

"Uh, yes they can. I need to go back anyway. Beside tomorrow I start working back at the zoo."

"Oh, but still, Ray wouldn't fire you. He likes you…"

"Don't even think it. Michael…make her stop." Danielle whined to the young man.

He chuckled and came over and wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close so that she wouldn't wiggle away and patted her on the head again. "Don't worry bebelle," he kissed her on the cheek and let go.

Danielle squirmed away, "Thanks." she tuned to Liss. "Please, I don't want you try anything. We just work together. He's my boss. Things like that never ends well so please just leave it alone. No matchmaking, nothing."

Liss's face fell and her lips quivered as she looked away. She then ran over to Danielle and squashed her in a hard hug, "I'm sorry!" she wailed, "I just don't want you to be alone!"

Danielle rolled her eyes in helpless and guilt. She patted her friend on her back, "I know you mean well. But I just want to wait for awhile. And I'm not alone. I have you."

"What about me? Am I not even here?" Michael faked a hurt look.

The two women pulled away as Danielle giggled, "You too Mike."

"Me too," he mocked in a friendly way. He looked at his watch. "Uh, Liss, if we want to hit the Arkansas line, before midnight, we better get going."

"Yeah." Liss turned back to Danielle, "So, you know how to reach me. If you need to talk, just call."

"Will, do." she began to walk them to the door when she stopped. "Wait." she hurried back to her movie case and gabbed the movie, "Here, get this out of here before it contaminates or corrupts my other movies."

Liss took the movie and looked down at it, "Wow! I was looking for this!"

"Yeah, you can have it back."

"Hey, don't hate the Buffy."

"How old are you again?"

"Old enough to still have fun!" she waved at Danielle before she made a mad dash to the car before she got soaked in the rain that was pouring down. Danielle waved to them as they pulled out and took off down the road. She slowly closed the door and fearfully began to turn around.

Randall was right behind her glaring at her.

Danielle cried out at the same time a clap of thunder shook the tiny house.

"You won't ever tell anyone about me huh?" he growled.


	18. Chapter 18

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Also, I want to let all know that I have fan art up on DeviantART under the name BlackNaginata.**

**Wow! Another chapter up so soon! What's the world coming to?**

**Ok, DarkraixCresselia, you know what to look for. **

**A small warning. This chapter has some cursing.**

**Chapter 18**

XXXx

Randall glared at her. "You said that you won't ever tell anyone about me. You swore it! And yet you did! Why? And you better have a good excuse." The cold rage in his voice caused her spine to shiver with fear.

"What do you have to say, Dan-i-elle?" he goaded, practically snarling at her, "Why did you lie to me?"

Danielle swallowed hard. She pressed back against the front door. "I d-d-didn't mean to!"

Randall bared his teeth, even coming close to snapping them at her face, "Oh really?" he scoffed sarcastically.

"Yes! I-I-did tell her about you, but it was only your name and that you'll only here for a short while!" Danielle pressed back tighter against the door, her hand on the doorknob ready to turn it and shoot out of the door and out of the way of his fists that were currently balled up at his sides. She was scared yes, but she didn't blame him one bit, but it also didn't mean she could stand there and let him hit her if the thought crossed his mind. She tried to meet his eyes, but the anger was so much that she had to look away again. "I panicked! She kept pestering me about you! I'm not a very good liar, and she can usually see right though me! When I had taken off from work and school she thought that I had met someone. I lied then she didn't believe me. Then that stupid date she set me up on, when I didn't want to go, she automatically assumed that there was someone! She continued to harass and push until I snapped! I told her about you yes, but I _NEVER_ told her what you looked like or what you are! I panicked Randall!"

Randall stared back at her, his entire body tense. Her eyes were wide with fear and guilt. Four years of scaring humans and he had learned to tell the difference between 'just scared' and 'paralyzed fear'. She was scared that was for sure. He could taste her fear on the air every time he opened his mouth. Another useful trait that he had used when scaring kids. He could use it to determine how much effort he needed to use to scare the kids. She was scared, maybe even more so in the past when he had yelled at her, but Danielle was still standing tall and had her hand on the door knob ready to bolt if necessarily. Her face was a mix of fear and guilt. She was allowing him to yell at her. He could see that she had known she had done wrong and he could also see that she was sorry for it. He continued to glare at her. He knew of the danger if word got out that he was here. The same thing would happen to him here as it would if a human got into his own world and the wrong monsters found it. He had every right to be mad. But as he stared at her, he realized the roles were now slightly reversed and it took him back to last month when he had revealed to her what he really was, what he had really done. This was almost the same. He had actually asked for understanding from her then just like she was doing now. A year ago he would _never _have considered backing down. But yet even before that he would have. He would have controlled his temper. Randall began to realize how much he had changed.

The moment seemed to stretch out forever when he finally sighed. His tense body relaxed and his tail and fronds dropped from their ridged stance. He sighed heavily, turning away from her and ran a hand through his fronds making them move all over his head. "Exactly what did you tell her?"

Danielle let out a huge sigh, "I only told her your name, Randall, and that you were temperamental and a inch or two shorter with green eyes. I also told her that you built machines and that you were only here for a short while."

Randall turned back around and looked at her. He startled her with a bitter barking laugh. "Temperamental? You got that right." he turned back around and stared off into space toward the dark far wall. He just stood there not moving, but was taking deep breaths.

Danielle wanted to try comfort him, comfort him and reassure herself that he was all right. He always seemed to slip into another world after he got angry. He would slip into a heavy depression, most likely from repressed emotions and stress. She wanted to touch him, to apologize. He needed the support but she knew if she touched him now, things would only get worse. Instead she slipped past him and into the kitchen, hoping that he would settle down and forgive her.

xx

A strange, tense silence descended over the house for the next few hours as neither Danielle nor Randall spoke. After four and half cups of comfort coffee Danielle was feeling really depressed not to mention slightly sick by the time Randall had shaken himself out of his stumper. Randall thought she wanted an apology, which his pride would not permit him at the time and the fact that he felt he had been just in his anger, and Danielle merely waited for him to speak at all.

When the time came to break the silence, it wasn't a word but a shatter. Danielle had been in the kitchen, staring down at the half empty coffee cup wondering if she trusted her stomach enough to finish it. When she was upset, unlike most people that seek comfort in food or chocolate, she got her comfort in coffee, though by the fourth or fifth cup she was sick. She was debating this when Randall slipped into the kitchen. She half turned to see if it was either the dog or cat that had entered when she jumped as a purple arm reached passed her for the coffee mug that she had automatically set out for him. With her sudden movement, her mug fell from her hand and hit the floor where it shattered, spilling still hot coffee on her feet. Danielle gasped in pain and out of instinct, almost jumped backwards.

"Are you alright?" Randall asked quickly, the words slipping out before he could stop them.

Danielle nodded. "I'm fine. My feet were covered mostly so they're fine too." she looked down at the shatter mug. "The cup however is not."

"Just needs a little glue." he said with a straight face as he eyed the shards of porcelain.

Danielle smiled faintly, "I'll clean it up." She began to move carefully to avoid stepping on the sharp pieces.

"No you won't." He stopped her from moving. "I'll do it."

"But you _are_ barefooted, you might-"

"No I won't. I'm used to stepping around kid's toys. I can handle some broken glass." he held up a hand and with a warning look at her, he carefully stepped around the shards and turned away to get out the broom.

Danielle leaned against the sink and watched as Randall as he side stepped the glass and swept up the glass before her. He turned to catch up the rest of the shards with the bristles of the broom. He threw them away and turned to look at Danielle.

"I'm sorry."

He nodded, "You do know that if I was found that other humans would not be so…. nice…. as you? You are studying to be a veterinarian, you work with animals, what do you think would happen if the wrong people knew I was here?"

"You would be in a government's lab faster then you could say…. scream extractor."

"You're damn right." Randall sighed wearily. "If this friend of yours is so pushy, why is she your friend?"

"I don't know. I put up with her because she was my first friend in high school. She had stood up for me one day and since then we've been friends. I know she's pushy and loud, slightly childish and very vain but I've know her for years. She's the one that got me to finally stand up to my mother one day. Little did I know I had traded one pushy person for another. Plus Margot hates her; I think some of the reason I put up with Liss is because of that. It gets exhausting standing up to one's family." Danielle sighed and looked away. She was still ashamed and now slightly nervous around him. She looked back at him, "Randall, I really am sorry."

Randall stared at her. He realized that the fragile trust that they were beginning to develop was so close to being shattered. It was something he wanted to try to fix. True it was still because he needed her, but it was now beginning to be because he was starting to value the friendship that was forming between the two of them. He nodded, accepting her apology. "You, know," he mused, "This friend, Lissette of yours, she reminds me of a certain one eyed cretin."

Danielle's face lifted its worry. She giggled, "Really?"

"Oh yeah, if she was two and half feet shorter had one eye and was green, she'd be him!"

Randall only smiled as Danielle's slightly stressed mind tried to imagine that. She broke down in giggles finally. When she was done and gasping for air, having to resort to the inhaler, she smiled at him. "Thank you," she said smiling.

Randall smiled back, nothing else needed to be said.

XXX

When the time came the next day for Danielle to leave to go to the zoo, it was still raining heavily, an occasional bolt of lighting shooting across the sky and the rumble of thunder. The front and back yard were mostly under water. Danielle was wearing her zoo's volunteer green shirt with a coat. She was finishing her coffee as she watched the rain pour down. Randall came up behind her and looked out the door over her shoulder.

Danielle sighed and went back to the kitchen and filled a travel mug with coffee. She went back to the door where Randall still was. "It's supposed to stop around five this evening."

"Good. This is ridiculous." Randall sipped his own coffee.

"Yes, yes it is." Danielle took a deep breath and pulled her coat tighter around her. "Well…. here I go." she then gritted her teeth and took off and out the door, and ran to the truck. She threw open the door and dived inside.

Randall watched from the doorway and started to turn away when he heard the familiar sound of a stalling engine. He looked back and thorough the glass screen door he could see Danielle try to turn the engine over again. Again it sputtered then died. He watched as Danielle looked at the dash and then bob violently as she began to scream silent obscenities.

Randall didn't know whether to laugh or be worried as she hit the steering wheel. She threw the door open violently and stomped up the house. Randall opened the door.

"In the top far drawer in the kitchen there is a set of keys, can you please get them?"

The words were polite but the tone was not. Her jaw was clinched tightly and her eyes were almost black in her seething anger. Randall had never seen her this mad before and like any wise person… did as she asked. He went and got the keys and turned to find that Danielle had disappeared. Hearing a tapping at the back door he opened it and Danielle reached though the opened screen door and grabbed them from him. She then splashed through the standing water and out to the barn. Thoroughly curious now and worried, he darted out the door following her. He shivered when the cold rain hit his body. He moved keeping the leg that was encased in the cast up; he made it to the barn. Randall sneezed at the damp musty smell and looked around. It was dark in the barn despite the fact that the lights had been turned on. He may had large eyes and perfect eyesight, but that was when it was in well-lit areas, his night vision just planned sucked. But the system heat sensing pits beneath his scales more then made up for it. He used these and his poor night vision to locate Danielle, though with the noise she was making a deaf man could find her.

She was at the back of the barn trying to unlock a tall locker like shed. She was really having a fit as in her anger and the shivers were making it hard for her to unlock the padlock.

"Danielle?"

"Randall? What are you doing out here? It's too cold and you basically just got over being sick. I don't need you to came down with another cold." her voice was choked and her fingers fumbled in tying to get the key to turn.

"I'll be fine. What's wrong?" He stared at her profile in the low light. Already her short hair was damp and plastered to her face.

"Th-the _bastards _siphoned the gas out of my truck. Again! I keep a jug of gas out here just for this." Danielle pulled the key out and tried to thrust it back in the keyhole. Suddenly she gasped. "Oh freakady fuck fuck fuck!" In her anger she had jammed the sharp key into her hand. Bright red blood welled up and dripped over her fingers.

Randall blinked. He had never heard such language out of her mouth. "Danielle," he tried, "calm down." He took the keys from her and easily slid the key into the lock and gave a hard twist. The lock clicked then popped open. He looked back at Danielle. She was nursing her wounded hand and tears of anger and frustration was welling up in her eyes. She noticed him looking at her questionly. She blinked them back. "Thanks."

"Welcome." he stepped back as she stepped forward and opened the locker. Inside sat a huge red plastic jug. A sharp smell came from it. It must have been the gasoline that she and the TV mentioned. He wrinkled his face. What horrible smelling stuff.

Danielle grabbed it and lugged it out and to the barn's slightly opened door. They both looked out at the rain still coming down.

"So…"Randall looked over at Danielle, "where did you learn such language?"

Danielle flushed, her face becoming red in her embarrassment. "Hey, I have a sister. Big sister's teach little ones how to do something that the parents don't. Like how to lie to parents, though I failed at that, how to braid hair, make messes, and certain bad words, she wasn't always pushing me into bogs."

Randall sniggered, "What? Your sister taught you that?" He had a hard time imagining that high and mighty sister of hers to even know such words.

"No, that came all on it's own," she blushed again, "but yeah, the woman has a mouth on her." she looked out at the rain. "You need to go back in. Like I said you don't need to be out here in the damp and rain."

"Nether do you." he pointed out.

"I'll be fine, I don't get sick often." She waited until Randall finally darted back to he back door and disappeared inside before she shut the lights off and lugged the heavy jug outside and kicked the barn door close. She carried the jug around to her truck and unscrewed the lid and opened the cap on the truck. She lifted the jug and began to pour the gas into the truck. As she pinned the heavy jug up with her body, she couldn't help but start to shake from the cold rain that poured down on her head and into the back of her coat and creep down her back. She stood there cursing the rain, the stinging pain in her throbbing gashed hand, but most of all she cursed the stupid red-necked Cajuns that lived down the road. They had done this many times before. The boy would come in the dead of the night and pump the gas out. She had tried to lock the truck in the barn but the boy had pried the boards loose and did the same thing. Like with the dead animals the police wouldn't do anything about it. She really wished that they would just leave. Move away, something. Danielle rested her cheek against the side of the jug and looked toward the house. Through the rain, she saw the hazy purple figure of Randall standing at the door. She waved slightly and he waved back. She looked back down at the jug. It was finally empty. She tossed the jug into the back of the truck. She'll stop at a gas station on the way home and refill it. She screwed the cap on and slid into the cab. She shivered and started the truck. She cranked the heat and she shivered again. Thankfully she kept a change of clothes in her locker at the zoo, because these were soaked and she had no time to run inside to change into dry clothes that would just get damp in the rain again. She waved to Randall one last time and pulled out of the driveway and took off down the muddy road.

X

"A...a...ACHOO!" Danielle had stood up from her bed but was actually knocked back down from the force of her sneeze. "Aw, crap..." she grumbled under her breath as she pulled a tissue from the small nightstand and blew her nose "Damn it!" she grouched.

She was sick.

When she had come home yesterday, she had been exhausted, having spent the better part of the day wrestling with a fast growing leopard cub, one that had discovered that it had teeth and claws and had decided that he didn't like shots. The cute 'little' fur ball had nipped and clawed as the vet gave him his vaccinations. Danielle was used to it and it really didn't hurt all that much, but nips were nips and scratches were still scratches. She had come home and ignoring the looks that Randall gave her, she had just about crawled through the house, her arms red with small welts. She had slid into the bath and shortly after that had just crawled into bed.

Danielle slowly and painfully got dressed. It was now time for school. She didn't normally have school on Mondays but since she didn't have to go back work until next week she wanted to make the most of classes. Though all she really wanted to do was curl back up in the bed and die. Her head was throbbing horribly and her body ached. To make matters worse she was shivering with a bad case of chills.

She sneezed again as she entered the kitchen.

"Bless you," Randall said as he looked up from his cup of coffee. He stared at his human as she shuffled into the room with a red nose and pasty, clammy-looking skin, her eyes were half-closed, her hair was hanging about her face and overall, she looked quite pathetic. She looked like death warmed over.

"Yikes..." He said as he took in the full overall look over her. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I'mb going to school," was the groggy, congested reply. "Wad does id look like?"

"With the way you look, I wouldn't if I were you," Randall said.

"Well, yow aren'd mbe."

"No, I'm not, but you look like you can barely stand much less drive. I'm sure the professors will understand."

Danielle looked like she was ready to argue with him when she groaned, "Owie..." Her head was starting to hurt. She gave up and turned and drug herself back down the hallway. She didn't, however see the smirk cross Randall's face.

Xx

Danielle was now back in her pajamas and tucked under the covers with her arms crossed over her chest, a thermometer in her mouth and a thoroughly annoyed expression on her face as she grumbled and grouched under her breath.

This sucked!

And the most embarrassing part was that Randall was standing over her with a smug little smirk.

"What're you doing?" Danielle mumbled grumpily around the thermometer.

The thermometer went off and Randall snatched it before Danielle could. He looked down at it. "One 0 three... don't get sick often huh?" Randall smirked. "So what type of medicine do you have? I found the leftover vitamin goop, but is there anything else?"

"There'bs DayQuil in your batboom cabineth. Anb bon't even thik about feebing me that goop." Danielle glared at Randall.

He just laughed, "It's good for you. You gave me the stuff before."

"This is payback isn'b?"

Randall turned and walked away to get the cough syrup laughing the entire time.


	19. Chapter 19

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the move came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Ok, DarkraixCresselia, you know what to look for. **

**A small warning. This chapter has some cursing. Wow, I don't know if any of you thought I had a plot…but ladies and gentlemen….we have a plot! We have a plot!**

Chapter 19

XXX

Mike waltzed to his best friend's office. He had to admit, and he wasn't shy about it, he was the best Laugher in the whole factory, only George, Fungus, and Bile were close, but he still left them in the dust. He pranced around like he was 10 feet tall, though he was just barely pushing four feet.

He threw open the door and threw his arms out wide, "Who's the best Laugher in the whole wide world?"

The only thing that answered him was the sound of papers shuffling.

He opened his closed eye and saw that files that been piled in two different stacks. One was the everyday paperwork that the CEO had to deal with. The other was a pile that Sulley had taken upon himself to look through in his search for Randall.

Suddenly a newspaper flew over a stack of files. It landed at Mike's feet. "Take a look at that and tell me what you think?" Sulley asked.

Mike bent down and picked it up. A large red circle caught his attention. It was a small article. He read it out loud.

"The apartment of Monsters, Inc former employee, Randall Boggs, was reported to have been vandalized. According to sources the apartment had forced entry and the inside of the home have been demolished. Nothing is missing that is known of." Mike looked up from the newspaper. "Yeah, so? Apparently someone else didn't like Lizard-Lips. Besides what would he have that someone would want?"

There was the sound of a chair squeaking and Sulley's blue furred and horned face came into view. "I don't know Mike. I don't know." He sat down heavily.

Mike tossed the newspaper in the trash and walked around the desk. He leaned against it and watched as Sulley finished a stack of paperwork. "Come on Sulley. Celia and me are going to some Christmas show. Why don't you come with us? You've been stuck in here since you've been made CEO. Then looking for Randall which is a really-"

Sulley turned his head to glare at Mike.

Mike laughed nervously, "Which is a really nice thing to do?" He coughed and got his self confidence back, "But really, you keep on you'll get sick. You already look really worn-out."

"I'm sorry Mike-"

"Sulley! Killing yourself looking for someone that tried to kill us is insane! Look it's December. He has been in the human world for a month and half! He may be d-" Mike stopped when he saw his friend wince. Mike tried to calm his self. "Tell you what…. you come with me and Celia tonight, then we go home you get a good night's sleep and I'll help you look through those files tomorrow. It'll go faster. You doing it by yourself will take longer. This way we can cut the time by maybe a month."

Sulley sighed and ran a large hand over his face. He _was_ exhausted. Maybe one night wouldn't hurt. "All right. Let me finish this paperwork and I'll be ready to go."

"Great! Celia will be thrilled; her little niece is in the play. She didn't think you'd come." Mike started to the door.

"Oh Mike? Can you do me a favor? I have a CDA personal that needs to be shown the way down to the basement that the Scream Extractor was in. Can you take him down there? They are going to remove it and destroy all trace of the thing."

"What! I have to go back down to that creepy place! I don't know if I can go down there! I was traumatized! Remember? Lizard Boy tried to suck the scream right out of me!" Mike had begun flaying his arms around and overall tried to play it up.

Sulley lifted his head over the stack of papers and raised his eyebrow. "Really Mike…. that's getting old. You played it up in the courtroom. You don't have to go all the way down there. Just point him in the right direction."

Mike had frozen when he realized he wasn't getting any sympathy or reaction. He dropped his arms. "Fine." he started out the door, "but if I have nightmares from this you'll hear from my head shrink!"

Nothing.

"Get it? Head shrink?" Mike looked at Sulley then sighed in disgust, "Everybody's a critic!"

As Mike lead the tall CDA agent to the hidden basement, he chattered a mile a minute. The CDA was a quiet one that was dressed in the bright yellow rubber suit. He had six arms and a long tail and was carrying a toolbox. All the monster told Mike was the he was to dismantle the Scream Extractor and take it where it would be destroyed.

When they got half way through the tunnels Mike balked. Not because he was scared. He was never afraid of the place in the first place. He just didn't feel like going down there.

"Ok Pal, you keep going straight then make a left. You will see it there. I would show you…. but…. you know…I have some very bad memories of the place." Mike shivered, but the CDA agent didn't comment on it.

"That's fine Sir, I can take it from here." The CDA agent spoke briefly already dismissing him.

"Great! I mean ok, so I'll just be going." Mike had begun to back away and then took off without a backward glance.

Finally left alone, the CDA agent sighed and shook his head. He had thought the little string pea would never shut up. He continued on his way until he came to the room that had held the Scream Extractor. He looked around and studied the broken machine that laid against the wall. He set the toolbox down and began to look it over with the utmost care. As he did this, he pulled out a phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?"

"Hello Sir. I want you to know that I'm looking at the thing now."

"How bad is it?"

The CDA agent pulled his yellow hood off. What looked like a dozen eyes set into a flat round face, soon moved and moved out from their resting place until a dozen of eyes moved around on eyestalks. He leaned down and did a study of the damage. "Looks like the base is damaged and mainly scratched. I can't say about the inside workings." Some of his eyes swung around to study the control panel. "The control panel is completely destroyed though."

There was a string of curses from the other end, "How long until you can fix it?"

"A few months. I mean you want me to dismantle it, carry it out of here, and put it _back_ together. Then there is truly no way of knowing what other repairs that it might need." The yelling on the other end of the line didn't faze the monster. "Don't worry…what is a few months compared to the two and half years it took to build it? It's isn't like I have to start from scratch like Boggs did."

"Fine," the monster on the end snarled. "Did you get Boggs' blueprints and notes?"

"Oh yeah. Thank god that he didn't fully trust that Frungus. He had all the stuff there." The monster reached into the toolbox and pulled out a few sheets of paper and opened them with a few sets of his hands.

"Then let's be thankful for small favors. Did James and Wazowski suspect anything?"

"No, not at all. Then again, no one ever really questions the CDA. The _real_ CDA that is." The monster laughed darkly.

"Very good. Well then. Get busy. The sooner you move it and fix it, the sooner you get paid and we can test it and I get my CEO position back."

"Will do Mr. Waternoose."

XX

Danielle was completely miserable.

She was curled up in the middle of her bed; her entire body racked with aches and intense chills. It seemed to her that she'd never get warm. Almost every blanket that was in the house other then the ones that Randall was using seemed to be piled on her and she stilled shivered. She rubbed her hot pale cheek against the pillow moaning, and then was suddenly racked by another spasm of violent coughing, which left her gasping for air and dizzy.

She clutched the covers as another rattling cough shook her entire body. Her head was spinning as if she was on a merry-go-round. The pain in her head increased and her chest hurt so much that she couldn't catch her breath. She felt so weak that she couldn't do anything but lay exhausted almost to the point of crying.

Another cough shook her body, and she began to cough and gasp so hard that she couldn't breath. Danielle barely felt herself being maneuvered around until she was sitting weakly up and had two hands pressing against her back. Finally the coughing died and she could breath but just barely. Her weak lungs tried to drag in air and did so with a high whistling rattle that made her chest ache every time. The warm body was pressed against her back as hands helped hold her up. Danielle relaxed and began to doze off from the shear exhaustion of coughing. She dimly felt herself laid back down, but had no control of it. Dimly, she remembered that the past few days she had been cared for. When she had struggled to breathe she was pulled back up in a sitting position and hands pressed and thumped on her back to help her catch her breath again. The cough syrup was gone and all that she had left was her inhalers, which were running low and had the vitamin goop forced down her throat. She dolefully accepted this, not having the energy to fight. All she could do was lay like a broken rag doll. Dragging in a ragged breath she began to doze off.

Randall waited until Danielle was asleep and wasn't shaken out of her sleep by another cough before he left to continue his search for any more medicine. The DayQuil was all gone and even the vitamins was running low, though he knew that did absolutely nothing for the cough.

He had found Aspirin and Ibuprofen. He had read the directions carefully and choosing one had begun to force her to take it. At first she had grumped and grouched but took them. That was a few days ago. She had then slipped into a semiconscious state that he hated to admit, worried him. She needed more then he had found, but had no way or idea how to get them.

Randall decided to try the kitchen one last time. He could be overlooking something. As he looked through the kitchen's drawers the phone began to ring. He ignored it and continued to look until….

"HEY D!"

The shrill voice of Lissette slashed through the air. Randall winced. "Her again?" he growled under his breath. God, he had only seen her once and already he had taken an immediate dislike to her.

"Hey D, you there? I _know _you're there!"

Randall continued to growl under his breath getting thoroughly annoyed with the human. If she kept on she could wake Danielle.

"So, just letting you know that I'm back in town. I have nothing to do, so if you don't care, I'll be stopping by in a few. Is there anything you want me to bring?"

"Oh shit!" Randall stopped looking through the drawers and swung his head toward the direction of the answering machine. His eyes widened. This was not good. He had to make a quick decision. If she came and saw that Danielle was sick, then more then likely stay…but then if he answered then she'll question him. He could lie, but what if she _still _wanted to try to come over?

He was damned if he did, damned if he didn't. He hated choices like this.

But then…she could also get the medicine that his human desperately needed. He could hide easily.

"So D, I'll-"

His choice made and hoping it was for the best, he grabbed the phone.

"D? So you finally answered?"

"It's not Danielle… "

"Randall?"

"Yes."

There was a long pause. "So you came back? I thought you dumped D." There was accusing tone in her voice.

Randall rolled his eyes at the absurdity of it all. Him and a human? Together? He shook his head but bit his tongue. If played right he could go along with that belief and help keep her away for the most part. "I get very busy. The…relationship… is still new to both of us."

"Ok, if you say so. Hey, so where are you from? You sound Northern. Actually you sound like you're from Indiana. I knew some people from there. What are you doing down here?"

"Work. Listen…" Randall tried to cut in but was interrupted.

"So, D is around?"

"No. She's actually sick. She's not up to talking." Randall almost groaned in annoyance.

The immature tone fell out of her voice. "Really? Look, how long are you going to be there? Cause I can pick up some medicine for her."

"That's what I-"

"Look, I've known Danielle for years. When the girl gets sick, she gets sick. Badly. She's also very stubborn. I'm sure you found this out."

"She was hardhead in the beginning, but now she's exhausted from coughing."

"Danielle, you twit," Lissette grumbled, "Ok, I'm coming over. I have some of her medicine here. I bet you're out there huh? Okay, I'll also pick some other things up. You aren't going to leave are you?"

This here was what he was afraid of. But at least the human would help out. "Actually I need to. But since you will be coming over, you can look after her. You know…this is the first time you've been helpful."

Lissette didn't hear him, or at least, she didn't respond. "Ok. I'm there with in a hour." she hung up.

Randall did the same and then sagged against the wall. "Damn it," he groaned. God, how did, Danielle put up with her? Just a few minutes of talking and he felt drained. He stood back up. He had few things to do before the annoying human arrived. He didn't like it when he had to talk to her and he hated to idea that she would becoming over. He had no idea how long she would stay. If it was for more then a day it was a feeling that Randall was not entirely certain he could endure.

XX

Randall stared down at Danielle. She was sleeping deeply and he hated to wake her but her friend would be arriving soon and he had to let Danielle know what was going on. Even if she didn't understand too much in her delirium she shouldn't panic too much. At least he hoped.

He leaned over her and gently shook her. She moaned and clenched the blankets around her tighter. "Danielle?"

"Daddy?" Came the mumbled reply.

"No. Randall." he shook her again, "I hate to wake you but you need to sit up and get a drink of water. I also have to tell you something."

Danielle mumbled again and after a few minutes she began to move slowly until she sat up. She looked up at Randall, eyes barely open. Her skin was flushed with fever and she was shivering. She took the water that he passed her.

Randall waited as patiently as he could. When she finished he took it back. "Danielle, I have some news. Your friend, Lissette is coming over. She's bringing you the medicine you need and I can't get." He waited for it to sink in.

Somehow, through her fever racked brain the words sank in.

"What? Randall…." she began to move, but a cough shook her body again. When it was over she just collapsed in the bed.

Sighing, Randall helped her sit back up. "I'll be fine. I'll hide. I'm really good at that. Don't worry so much."

"But…"

"Shh. Go to sleep."

XXX

Randall couldn't help but think of the irony as he watched the tall dark skinned human talk with his human. He was currently hiding in her closet staring out at the scene through the wood slates of the cream French sliding closet doors. He had shoved the items to the back and had thanked his lucky stars that the closet was big enough for his 12-foot long body. He had been wise in doing this, since he had been right that Lissette was taking it upon herself to stay for a few days. Her bags were currently in the pink room that he had been using. He couldn't stay blended the entire time either. It took energy and though he could basically disappear, when he moved however others could make out his outline. The only possible solution was to hide in Danielle's closet.

He had already been in there for past three days, only slipping out when the other human was busy and or asleep. She was to leave tomorrow since Danielle was now feeling better and not coughing so much. Yesterday, when she had been more aware, he had slipped out of the closet and had talked with her until she had fallen asleep. Danielle had talked Lissette into going back home and Randall couldn't help but think that it couldn't be sooner. Her voice and attitude annoyed him to no end. True this 'Wazowski' seemed to really care for her friend, he still couldn't help but be reminded of the little green pea.

He was stretched out on his belly but was twisted around in a perfect U. It was a contorted pose but he was comfortable and he kept aware as he read from a book. _The things I have to do_, he thought as he glanced back up. Wazowski # 2, as he had dubbed her, was help bushing Danielle's hair out since she was still too tired.

Having nothing else better to do, he watched as the dark skinned human ran brush through Danielle's reddish hair. As he yawned, he allowed his mind to wander. And strangely it wandered to wondering about her hair. Of course he had known monsters with fur and even few that had hair on their heads like a human's. His bored mind began to wonder what it would feel like. It didn't look coarse, but soft. _Her hair is pretty…_came a stray thought. Randall's eyes popped open

What was wrong with him?

He snorted softly to himself as he growled. He knew now that humans weren't some dumb animals. He didn't even think that completely in the beginning. He just thought that monsters, he, was better then them. They were all right…at least this one, Danielle, was. He didn't much trust any other humans, especially that annoying one. Randall glared at the other female wishing for her to hurry up and go home. He didn't like the fact that he had to even talk to her.

Danielle was all right. Though she had made her mistakes, she still hadn't turned him over to even more dangerous humans. He forgave her for letting it slip that she was 'seeing' him though he was still slightly annoyed about that. He found he actually might miss her when he went back to Monstropolis.

He laid his head down on the pillow that was lying on the floor. He tried to tune out the continuous blabber of Wazowski # 2.

When he opened his eyes again, the first thing he noticed was that the house was quiet then that it was dark. Randall stood up and peered out into Danielle's room. His tongue and system heat sensing pits told him that the only one in the dark room was Danielle who was asleep. He opened the door and stood in the middle of the room. He began to cautiously stretch, wincing as he pulled on sore muscles, and eventually stretched his full length; he finished his stretch with an annoyed flick of his tail. He turned towards Danielle. In the dim light from the opened bathroom's light he could see that she was finally sleeping soundly without he continuously coughing. On automatic and believing this would be the only chance, he decided to test out what he had been thinking. He walked up closer and reached out and picked up a lock of her red brown hair.

He smirked.

He was right. It was soft.


	20. Chapter 20

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the move came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**All I can say here is that Randall seems to be slight over protective huh? Never would have thought. And Danielle had finally figured out his game. Both of them and she now turned the tables on him. **

**Chapter 20**

XXX

"Are you going to move or what?"

"Shut up."

Minutes ticked by.

"Give it up, Danielle, you don't have any other move," Randall smirked from his spot across from Danielle.

"Shut up, Randall," Danielle mumbled, glaring at the chessboard in front of her.

"Just admit defeat-again."

"Shut up, Randall," Danielle grumbled, not taking her eyes off of the board, willing there to be some way to redeem herself.

They were currently on the bed. Despite the fact that Danielle's cold was still stubbornly hanging on, she was feeling better. She was no longer having horrible coughing spells that let her weak and breathless. She was still shaky on her feet however. When she was allowed out of bed that is. Randall had turned into a regular 'Nurse Ratchet.' The day after her fever had finally broke which was the day before Lissette had gone home, Randall had found her trying to get out of bed to lay clothes out so she could go to school the next day. He actually bossed and bullied her until he wore her out and she had sunk back into the bed. He had glared at her, and then turned invisible. She had watched as the bedroom door opened and closed. Five minutes later, the door opened again and closed then he had reappeared. He had told her that the truck keys were hidden and would only get them back when she was completely better.

She had stared at him in shock. He sure was cheeky when he set his mind to it.

Like right now. Randall was stretched out across the end of the bed, the chessboard between them. This was their fifth game of the day. And every time he pulled off win after win. How she didn't know. Chess had been one of the few games she had been great at, even been in the chess club for a year in high school. She had thought she was unbeatable.

She apparently was wrong. She tried to study Randall's pattern in how he played and liked to move the pieces in plays. Each time was different. Her still fuzzy brain tried to figure this out. Across from her, Randall laid quietly, a knowing smile on his face as he watched his human contemplate a move that didn't exist. He had successfully cornered Danielle in the chess game; she had only one move to make. And that one move would solidify Randall's win.

"Give up, Danielle?" Randall asked slyly. "You only got one move and then it's 'Game Over'."

Minutes clicked by and Danielle could see Randall over the top of her glasses; just watching her with that damn grin. Sighing, Danielle made the one move she had…and waited.

"Checkmate." said Randall smugly, claiming Danielle's last piece.

"Damn."

"Someday, I will count the number of times you use that word when I beat you at chess."

"You do that, Randall…" she continued to stare at the chessboard. Her tired brain tried to figure out how exactly Randall won every time. She knew he was smart. Maybe even more so then the average human's capacity, but there should be no way he could win _every_ time.

"Don't take it to heart Danielle," Randall said as he began to pick up the pieces and put them into their little wooden boxes, "I've never lost a game of chess in my life! Besides, playing against you is a challenge. You're very good."

"Uh huh," Danielle mumbled as she continued to stare at the spot, racking her brain trying to puzzle why he always won. She almost didn't hear him. She snapped her head up and stared at him. "I had never lost a game either. It was one of the few things I _was_ good at." she then realized something else. "Did you just give me a compliment?"

Randall picked up the board and shrugged. "I don't know…maybe I did," he gave a small wink towards her and walked out the door.

Danielle blushed lightly then flopped back into the bed. She rested her back against the pillows and crossed her arms. She wasn't naturally competitive, but with him winning every single match, it was getting on her nerves. She sighed in disgust, beginning to feel tired. She'd be glad when she had her full energy back. This was so annoying. She pulled off her reading glasses and laid them on the nightstand and clicked the lamp off and slid back down into the bed, curling up on her side. As she lay there she tried to think once more. She had been great at chess. The best player in her family, then in school. When she got to college she had of course became too busy to play as often as she had, but still, just cause she had become rusty didn't mean she had forgotten how to play. She had studied the rulebook often.

Her eyes had begun to close but shot open.

Rules! That had to be it! Randall had to be playing by the rules of the Monster World. That could only be the most logical explanation why he was winning every time. The rules must be different and he had been using plays that were unknown to her. She had been playing by the rules of her own world. The rules were clearly very similar enough that she didn't notice but still different enough that he had been able to win every time.

The sneaky little lizard.

She'll get him tomorrow. Come hell or high water she'll get him back.

XXX

"So "Nurse Ratchet" can I get out of bed and stay out this time?" Danielle glared at Randall a few days later. She was really not happy. She had had plans on calling him out on what she had guessed but he hadn't allowed her to get up any longer then needed.

The game he was playing was getting old, and she was getting sick of the bedroom. She had tried again to get up, but again he had bullied and bossed even going as far as threatening to tie her to the bed.

"No."

"Why not!" Danielle knew she was whining but she didn't care. Not any more. All she wanted was to get out the bed.

"You're still shaky on your feet. And still obviously weak. We don't need a relapse do we? I would like to avoid having to hide in you closet again."

"How can I get my strength back if you don't let me up?" Danielle rose up until she was on her knees. Randall stood in front of her. They were having a battle of wills and despite the fact that Danielle _was_ still weak from her coughing; her determination was back full strength. They were evenly matched. "I mean come on, you already hid the keys. It's not like I can hot wire the truck… Wait a sec! This is my house! You can't tell me what I can or can't do!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah! What are you going to do? Tie me to the bed? You already used that threat Mister!" Danielle paused and took a long shot at maybe getting her way. She sent Randall a long slide look, "Maybe…it's because you want to tie me down. I never thought you to be that kinky Randall."

He faltered a little and she did a little victory dance inside her head. She could SO work with this. Danielle smiled sweetly at him.

Randall stared back, clearly not knowing what to do. She had turned the tables on him and she knew it. He backed up and put a cool expression on his face. "You're going to fight every step of the way aren't you?"

"Yep."

"Then do what you want." He turned and started to walk out the door. He stopped and looked back at her.

She was climbing out of the bed, a smug grin of her own on her face.

"Just cause you are getting up doesn't mean that I'll give you the keys yet." A smug grin of his own crossed his face and he chuckled at the sight of her fallen face and walked out the door.

Danielle huffed slightly but cheered at the fact she had won part of the battle at least.

Xxx

Randall had been right in some degree. After she had taken a shower and got dressed, Danielle felt tired. But she was going to make the most of her 'freedom'. She was sitting wearily on the floor of her study and was going through some old cartons that had old books in it. She was looking for her old chess rule book. Randall was currently in the living room engrossed in some show that he had taken a liking to.

Danielle's eye lit up as she pulled the book out of the book. She grinned as she flipped though it. Closing it, she looked toward the living room.

"I gotcha now." she giggled, feeling extremity proud of herself.

"Oh Randall?"

A singsong voice had him to look up the moment a book landed on his exposed belly. He picked it and looked at the title. "Chess. The official Rules and Game Strategies?"

Danielle plopped down on the couch beside him. She leaned toward him and cupped her hand around her mouth and began to whisper like she was telling him a big secret. "See, I found something out about you."

"Someone's feeling better."

Danielle giggled. "I'm not kidding." she said in a normal speaking voice.

"So, what did you find out?" Randall pulled himself up straighter.

"I found out that you have been winning by using your Monster World rules in chess and I've been using the rules that I learned from that book. So what do you have to say for yourself?"

"That maybe the fever warped your fragile little mind? Or I need to up the dosage on that medicine."

Danielle nudged him, "Come on Randall. Come clean. You have been doing that. Using different rules. That's almost cheating."

"Cheating! Me? I would never." Randall sat up straighter. In the past if someone had accused him of cheating he would fly off the handle.

"That's the thing. You aren't. Not by your world's rules. But to even up the odds, you will read those rules and I will watch you carefully next time." Danielle leaned back into the couch.

Randall opened the book then looked back up at Danielle. "So…I guess my secret is out huh?"

Danielle looked at him. "Yes it is."

Randall looked back down at the book and glanced over the table of contents. "I was wondering if you'd realize this."

"What?"

Randall sniggered but didn't look up, "Me playing by my rules. It took you long enough." Without looking at her he poked her in the side with the tip of his tail.

Danielle flinched away in response, "Hey!" she exclaimed sharply, "That tickles!"

"Really?" Randall asked, this time looking up from the book, letting the word slide over his forked tongue. He lifted his tail to poke her side again only this time Danielle caught it. The tip of his tail curled around, instinctively trying to circle her fingers.

"Don't even think about it Randall." She warned, "I don't like being tickled."

"And yet it never seemed to stop you from tickling me." He wiggled his tail out of her grip and poked her side again.

Danielle shot up and took off across the room and plopped down in her brown chair.

Randall chuckled to himself and stretched back out on the couch, reading the rulebook. "You can dish it out but you can't take it can you?"

"Oh I can. Can you?"

For the second time that day, she struck him dumbfound. He snapped his head up and stared at her, but she had already turned away, channel surfing with the remote that she had managed to snag before she had shot off of the couch.

"Hmm," Randall stared at her a bit longer then shook his head slightly and started to read the rulebook. He decided since he had been found out, he might as well learn the rules from this world, him using his world's rules had been dishonest and he hated cheating. He may have been competitive but he had never looked to cheating like some had. He turned the page. Maybe before he left, he'll teach Danielle the rules to the Monster's version of chess.

XXX

Danielle looked pleading at Randall. "Please?"

He regarded her thoughtfully.

Danielle rolled her eyes. "Oh for Pete's sake Randall, I'm better! Give me the keys now!"

"Fine." He turned and disappeared down the hall. Danielle flopped down onto the couch. She had finally convinced him to giver her the keys that he had kept hidden for the past four days. She picked up her brush, the one she had been so close to whacking Randall with out of frustration and began to drag it through her hair. She had once kept her hair long, but as she had gotten busy with work and college and didn't have as much time to primp, she began to just keep it shoulder length. As she brushed the baby fine hair out she noticed that it had grown past her shoulders.

She grumbled as she snagged a knot in the hair. "I'm just going to cut it all off. Maybe even up to my ears this time."

"Why would you want to do that?"

Danielle turned her head to one side and looked up. Randall was standing front of her, the keys in his hands. She flipped her hair back. "Because it can get so freaken annoying." she stood up and reached out her hand for the keys though he didn't hand them over just yet.

"But why would you cut off one of your best features?" He looked at her hair then at her.

A little playful smirk twitched at the corners of her mouth. He was doing it again; he was flirting and either he was doing it intently to try to embarrass her or he just didn't realize it.

Either way, two can play the game.

She smiled teasingly at him and leaned forward, "So, you think my hair is one of my best features?" she asked softly. "Then tell me…what are the others?"

"W-What?" he asked, sounding flustered.

She leaned closer and he unconsciously leaned back himself even ducking down slightly. She smiled sweetly and suddenly her hand darted out and plucked the keys from his hand. She stood back up straight and shook them. "Thanks!" She winked and then turned to walk into the kitchen to fix herself a cup of coffee leaving Randall with a look on his fact that clearly showed his shock as he stared after her.


	21. Chapter 21

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**We learn more about Randall.**

**Ok, updates is going to be a little awkward for while. It seems that knifes can bite! All I will say is that at least the cuts are small and it's on my left hand. I can type but it'll take longer. **

**Edit: Little mishap I made in animal biology. Randall's fingers are not like a octopus', but really more like a Gecko's. Thank you for pointing this out pitbulllady.**

Chapter 21

XXX

Randall was finishing up in the kitchen. They had just finished dinner and Danielle had washed while Randall had dried the dishes. Finding that this would be one of the few chances to pull out the Christmas decorations and at least start on the decorating, Danielle dragged a chair from the kitchen. She carried it down the hall and placed the chair in the middle of the hallway so she could stand on it.

She climbed up and knocked open a door in the ceiling that led to the tiny attic. She stood on tiptoes and reached in grabbed the edge of a box. The box was light as it only had garland and a wreath and a few Styrofoam angels. But it didn't slide to her that easily. It got caught and she groaned and tugged again, this time harder. No luck. Growling she tugged as hard as she could. Her annoyed growl turned into a yelp of surprise when the box loosened suddenly and the motion sent her falling backwards. She landed on her right thigh and cried out involuntary. She looked up the moment the box came tumbling down, spilling it's contents all over her as the box landed upside down on her head, eloping her in darkness. Pain throbbed in her thigh and suddenly the box was lifted off her head.

She looked up to see Randall. He held the box in his hands. Sure that Randall would bust out laughing, she was surprised to see concern on his face and in his eyes. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"Nothing hurt but my pride," she shifted and groaned as needled pain shot though her leg. "And my thigh."

"You sure?" He set the box down.

"Yep. I've had bruises myself before."

"Good." The concern left his face and was replaced by an amused look as he reached out and pulled a loop of gold garland off of her head. "I don't think gold suits you too good." A mischievous glint came into his eyes and just as he pulled the gold loop off, he tossed a shiny green one on her head. "You look better in green."

Danielle grabbed a small Styrofoam angel and threw it at him though she laughed.

Randall caught it and dropped it into the box smiling while Danielle gathered her legs under her and stood up, though her feet became tangled into the long shiny ropes of garland. She tripped and fell forward right into Randall. His eyes widened as she fell toward him. Her body crashed into his and his lower arms automatically came up and around her waist while his top grabbed her shoulders. Danielle had closed her eyes but slowly opened them. She found her face mere inches from Randall's, his bright green eyes staring into her own muddy hazel.

She felt herself turning bright red as she also realized he had one set of arms around her waist. She pulled away fast and cleared her throat in embarrassment. She bent down and hastily untangled her legs and gathered the garland up and tossed it back into the box. She glanced back up at Randall. He too looked flustered as he picked up some of the Styrofoam angels that had rolled his way. He hadn't turned any different colors but there was a slight color change to his scales.

Danielle cleared her throat. "Uh, I want to say that I'm sorry. I didn't mean to crash into you." She blushed again and turned away and picked up the box. She felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and Randall dropped a few of the angels into the box.

"It's fine. It's not like you did it on purpose huh?" He smiled as his tail wrapped around another one and dropped it into the box as well.

"No, I didn't." She then started to carry the box into the living room, "But," she called over her shoulder, "next time though, I just might just do it on purpose."

She heard Randall chuckle, "I'll have to remember that then."

Danielle smiled and dropped the box on the floor and winced as she rubbed her thigh. She then shook it off and walked back down the hallway. "Then if I do, will you still catch me?" She grinned at Randall.

He pretended to think. "I don't know…. if I do…. what will I get?"

Danielle blushed lightly though she sniggered, "What do you want?"

"Hmmm…. don't know. I'll think of something."

Danielle laughed softy then groaned as she looked back at the chair that she has just fallen from.

Randall smirked at her face. He then stopped her when she moved to climb back up. "Wait. As much as I enjoy a good laugh at your expense, I really don't want to see you fall again. I'll go this time." He then walked to the wall and winked at her and cracked his knuckles and proceeded to slither up the side of the wall and the short distance across the ceiling and disappeared into the open door in the attic.

"Show off," Danielle mumbled, though she smiled. She still found it amazing with all his little abilities. _He_ was amazing.

"The box got caught didn't it?" Randall's voice called down at her.

"Yeah. Do you see what it was?"

"Yes and no. My eyesight isn't too good in the dark. I think that it was big slice of wood."

"There is a small light bulb with a string to your left. The light should still work. And be careful. We don't need to spend the rest of the night picking splinters out of your hands and feet."

"Yes mother," he said sarcastically though unlike the past it was still done playfully.

A light clicked on and Danielle could see Randall. He was standing at the edge. The attic was big enough that she or Randall could stand up straight. She just didn't like going up there any more then she had to. So she just kept everything at the edge or if she was lucky and Liss was visiting and she needed to get something from the attic she would beg Liss to go up and get it.

"Jeez Danielle…when was the last time you came up here?" Randall asked from above her after a small sneezing fit.

"Willingly or because I had to? Willingly, it was when I was…. 10. Because I had to? Last year and it was only to shove the tree and boxes right where you are." Danielle said. "Before you slide the boxes down, think you can be careful and see if you can snap that big splinter off? I'll get you a glove."

"If you have a three fingered glove laying around that'll be wonderful." Randall's smug face peered down at her.

"Damn. I forgot. It's easy to, you know. I'll be right back." Danielle walked away. She didn't however see the smugness fade.

"I forget sometimes too."

XXX

After the almost foot long sliver of wood had been snapped off safely, Randall had pushed the rest of the boxes down to Danielle. She had carried or dragged the boxes into the living room. When they were finished, there were a total of four regular boxes and one long box that held the tree.

"That should be all of them Randall." Danielle called up into the attic. No answer. She glanced up and saw the light click off. "Randall?" Again no answer. "Randall? If you think I'm climbing up there… then you better think again Mister!"

There still was no answer. "Jeez." Danielle grumbled as she moved until she was right under the open panel in the ceiling. "Randall…."

Suddenly, with his flexibility, he twisted down from the attic and was suspended in front of her materializing at the same time he whispered, "Boo!"

Danielle didn't scream, but she did gasp in surprise and jumped back. Her breathing harsh, she glared at Randall. She batted at him. He dodged easily with his flexibility and dropped down from the opened panel in the ceiling. He let out a satisfying laugh.

"You keep on doing that little stunt and I'll spray paint your scaly butt so I can see where you're at!" Danielle fussed at him.

"I'll like to see you try!"

"Don't push it bebette! Cause I will!" Danielle paused, then smirked. "I'll make it pink too."

Randall blanched. "You wouldn't dare."

"Don't underestimate me. I had enough of bebettes scaring me." Danielle stepped up on the chair and pulled the attic panel close. She took the chair and began to drag it back to the kitchen, Randall following.

"Ok, I'm curious now. What does bebette mean?"

"Huh? Oh. It's Cajun French. That's what I am. Like the LaGide's. We're Cajun. Mix of different cultures all blended together into a spicy little mix. Bebette can either mean monster or critter. It's all how it's used in the sentence. Both Margot and me know some. We fought tooth and nail against learning the language. We preferred to learn English, though some of it stuck. Mom speaks it better and more often and her mother when she was alive didn't even know English. Dad was born and raised in New Orleans. They speak it down there, but English is more common and French was frowned upon at the time." Danielle went back to the living room and sat down on the floor to look through the boxes. She groaned as the bruised muscle in her thigh pulled.

Randall followed and lowered himself to the floor as well. "Why?"

Danielle looked up. "Why? I guess cause the main reason was that at the time French was considered dirty. So, when my parents went to school, they were made to speak English." Danielle began to pull some decorations out and check to see if some of the old ornaments were still intact. "Both me and my sister saw how 'backwoods' mom was, so we both rebelled in what she wanted us to do. The one that still gets her is that we both refuse to call her 'Mama'."

"So your mother is 'backwoods'? How did she even meet you father?"

"They won't say. The female in me wishes for something a little romantic but my head says that it wasn't that. Who knows? All I know is that my mom came from the backwaters of the St. Martin Parish and that she didn't want to leave but Dad talked her into it. I look a lot like my mom actually. I'm about as tall as her and we have the same body type. Only her eyes is a greener hazel and her hair is redder. Margot looks more like our dad. Tall and thin. He has black hair and brown eyes though. Margot got her green eyes from our mom."

Randall looked up looking at the glass bulbs. "That's strange."

Danielle looked at him. "What is?"

"You said that you look like your mother but she favored your sister who looks more like your father while you are closer to your father. Usually it's the opposite."

"Oh. Yeah. I never could figure that out myself. Don't forget the fact that I'm not as material as my sister. Margot couldn't wait until she moved to the city, while I like it out here." Danielle finished untangling the lights that she had been working with and began to wrap them back up. "So, what about your parents? What were they like?"

Randall made a face that was a cross between annoyance and sadness. "Why?"

Danielle stopped winding the lights. "I know that you told me that they were gone, and I'm really sorry. Maybe you need to try to talk about it. Christmas is coming up and since this will be your first Christmas away from your world, even if you didn't celebrate it, you could catch a bad case of Christmas Blues. I'm no shrink, but I can lend an ear."

Randall sighed and looked away. As he did, he picked up a green glass bulb and rolled it around in his top hands. "I look like a complete cross between my parents. My mother was a much lighter purple then I am. No broken patterns, just straight even lavender. Her fronds were much smaller, except the foremost frond dangled forward. I got my green eyes from her. My father was a navy blue with a lighter blue tail. In looks and body I look most like him. The four arms and four legs and the wide head. His eyes were a golden yellow. I was as close as an only child could be to two parents that both worked. Nothing really special. Just a normal family. I do remember wishing for a sibling. A brother or a sister. My parents were just too busy with their own jobs and caring for one child that they didn't have time to think about another."

Danielle listened intently. She had a feeling that he hasn't talked much about hisparents or his life. "What did they do?"

"My father was Chief Engineer in the biggest factory in the town, while my mother worked as a accountant. They pulled good money. We wasn't rich, but we were well to do."

"An engineer and accountant. Is that why you chose mechanical engineering?" Danielle asked.

A proud smile crossed his face. "Yes. I remember even when I was a child I wanted to do something like my father. It turned to machines and an interest in man-made structures." his smile then faded. "It was the summer before my senior year that the factory went bankrupt. My father who had spent 23 years there was laid off. My mother had told him not to worry. Her job would keep us going. But my father had pride. He made the decision to sell and move to Monstropolis since it is the largest city. He thought that with his 23 years, as a Chief Engineer would count as something in the city. Little did we know that the city was not that popular for my kind. Reptilian monsters."

Danielle had to stop him here. "I have to ask. Randall, you look like a giant lizard. I mean you look like a reptile, the scales and the tongue. You even have gecko and chameleon-like abilities, albeit more advanced but still. You look and even walk reptilian some times, but you sweat; which points to you being endothermic. So are you…?"

Randall chuckled, "Hold that thought. I'll be right back." With those words he gracefully and smoothly rose in one fluid movement and walked into the kitchen. She could hear him opening a cabinet and knew he was getting them both cups of coffee that he had started earlier and they had never got around to getting. She looked back down at an old ornament that she had since she was five. It was a sliver snowflake that had her name written on it.

"Danielle?"

She looked up to see Randall hold a hot mug out to her. She smiled and took it. "Thanks."

Randall settled back down in his spot across from her on the floor. They both took sips of the coffee. After a few minutes, Danielle set hers aside. "So?"

"I'm warm-blooded. You already suspected this. All monsters, even us reptilian ones are. We're mammals just like you. Some of us just have extra special abilities. I have the blending where I can blend into any background I see. There are even a few that I have trained myself to remember without having to see it. I have the special pads on my hands and feet that allows me to cling like Velcro to any surface." Randall held out his hand to Danielle. She leaned over closer and peered down at his fingers. Hundreds of tiny ridges covered his wide fingertips in awry of patterns, much like a gecko's.

She leaned back. "Interesting."

Randall just smirked at her. "When I blend I have to keep my eyes shut as well as my mouth. Like your snakes here in this world, I have special heat sensing pits beneath my scales."

Danielle leaned forward her eyes wide. "Really? Where?"

Randall grinned then turned his head just a fraction and pointed to tiny barely visible pit right behind his jawbone. "I have two of them, one on either side. Also not only can I smell the air with my nose, but even my tongue is sensitive to scents on the air."

"Wow! That is amazing. Did your parents have any of these abilities?"

"Yes. My father could climb walls, while my mother could change colors. I ended up with both abilities and more. My tail is prehensile, the fully blending and even pattern changes. I have the extra smelling abilities and I'm more flexible then even my father was."

"Patterns? Like when you first crashed into me and it looked like you were wearing the same clothes I was? Patterns like that?" Danielle sniggered at the memory. Now she was able to laugh at it. At the time she was still in shock herself that the 'lizard' she had rescued last month was able to talk.

Randall rolled his eyes and nodded. "Even more then that." He closed his eyes for a moment then opened his eyes and watched her with interest as his purple color faded to black and a pattern of white stars appeared over his body. It was one of the first patterns he had perfected. His face spilt into a wide grin at Danielle's face.

Danielle knew she was staring but she couldn't help it. Randall had just changed from his lovely color of smoky purple to a pitch black and had white stars of all sizes all over his body. He sat there staring at her with his intense green eyes and then he slowly changed back to his purple coloring. The complex pattern of teal colored scales down his shoulders and back to the tip of his tail were the first he changed colors back to normal. Then it was scale by small scale until he was his normal colors again. "Wow."

"Thanks."

"So, anyway, what happened after you moved to Monstropolis?"

Randall sighed and took a drink of his coffee. "They found out that it was harder to get a job despite all the experience they had. Reptilian like monsters are discriminated. It was hard to get a good paying job. But we managed and I finished my last year of high school and went to college on scholarships and student loans. I was still a freshmen in college when they died." Randall closed his eyes in pain. "They were driving home from work and the scream energy in the car ran low. Another larger car rammed them and it sent their car spinning into a river. They drowned." Randall's voice became choked and he had to grit his teeth against the pain. "They have been dead for seven years this past October."

Danielle bit her lip but didn't hesitate as she crawled over to Randall's side ignoring the pain that shot up and down her thigh as she moved her leg. He had his face away from her as he was apparently trying to force down more repressed emotions. She reached out a hand and pressed it against his back. He only tensed a little at first but then relaxed as she stroked his back with a gentle hand. She scooted closer and wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer and hugged him with tenderness. She could imagine it didn't happen very often to him. Danielle felt him lean in closer to her and in a move that surprised her; he buried his face in the crook of her neck as he found his release. Danielle felt something wet on her neck and she realized it was tears. His tears. Randall was crying. Danielle held him tighter and closer to her, caressing his back in light circles, unconsciously tracing the scales.

XX

Standing in her robe Danielle grimaced at her refection in her bathroom mirror. An ugly bruise was flashing the lovely colors of blue and green on her right thigh. As she waited for the bath water to get hot she added some Vanilla Bath Milk. It was one of the few girly things that she enjoyed sometimes. When her bath was ready, Danielle slipped off her robe, and stepped into the hot, aromatic water. Sliding down carefully, as to not knock her sore thigh, she sat down, and began to relax. Laying her head back, she began to run the day's events through her mind.

_Poor Randall,_ she thought. _How long has he just kept that pent up inside? He hadn't told me if he had grieved at his parent funeral, but I imagined he did then went on with his life, hurting but knowing he had to continue on. Then just the stress of the years and the stupid scream extractor he built. It's too much for one person. It's a wonder he hadn't cracked sooner. _

She knew Randall still had a ways to go, but he was getting better. He was looking better too. She remembered when she had first found him. Not only did he have the horrible gashes on his head and that one that had been close to spiting his head down the middle…Danielle shivered feeling a cold chill seep into her bones at that thought. Any more force or if his skull hadn't been so strong and thick the shovel would have been buried into his brain. And what a waste that would have been. He was a wonderful person to know. True he had his shortcomings. His temper, his audacity, the cheekiness and him being involved with a possibly dangerous machine that thankfully had been destroyed. But there were other things that made up for most of that. His playfulness, his compassion when he cared to show that side, his jokes, and his personality. He had a very rich personality that even his temper, audacity and cheekiness made him worth knowing.

She sighed and slipped deeper into the hot water. Right now he was in bed. After his much needed talk and breakdown, he had relaxed so much that he had almost fallen asleep. Danielle had woken him up enough and gently guided him to his bed. There he had had one more small crying spell and then settled down and slowly fell asleep. Danielle knew she wasn't a psychiatristbut she did know that this was one good step for him to finally heal some deep scars and not the visible ones. Danielle planned to help him as much as she could before he was ready to go back. She only hoped that he wouldn't still be harboring some deep hate for the creeps that banished him and that he wouldn't really go seeking them out to extract revenge on them.


	22. Chapter 22

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**We learn more about Danielle. And the creep from chapter 19 has a name courtesy of ****TheOnePistol. **

**I have to say, THIS is my favorite chapter so far.**

**Chapter 22**

XXX

This was one of the many times that Jester was glad that he had six arms and twelve eyes that could move around freely. He was now out of the yellow CDA suit and was hanging upside down from the Scream Extractor, his thick tail planting him firmly in place. He wasn't a reptilian monster like the machine's creator, but he was limber. He held a tube in his sharp teeth surprisingly gentle as not to pierce the tubing. He reached under the workings and not finding the connecter, he sighed and twisted so that he could snake a few of his eyes under there and see where he was missing it. He grinned when he saw the connecter. He pulled the long tube from his mouth and slid it over the metal pipe. After Jester made sure it was connected, he twisted back out and came face to face with his boss.

Waternoose looked the same as he always had. Rich clothing and an arrogant expression on his face. He was tapping one crab claw on the concrete.

The incessant tapping had been going on for a while but Jester had easily ignored it. He had just calmly hummed to himself as he had worked.

"So? It is done?"

"The thing was already 'done' I just put it back together again. The questions you _should _be asking, is 'will it turn on and will it work?'" Jester smirked down at the old monster.

Waternoose glared up at Jester, "Don't get smart with me Bobbens. Just turn it on."

"Will do." Jester walked over to the control panel that he had rebuilt first. He pressed the red 'on' button and then pushed some dials up. The machine hummed to life and moved forward to where a child would sit. Suddenly the machine began to buck like a bronco with a spur under its saddle. Thick black smoke began to pour out and Jester quickly shut it off. The thing died with a sick death rattle.

Waternoose was fanning his face with his claws and coughing.

Jester didn't do that. Instead he burst out laughing.

When Waternoose was done coughing, he glared at Jester. "You better silence that laughter," Waternoose warned. "What happened?"

"I-" Jester sniggered again, "I don't know. I didn't build the thing. I just took it apart and put it back together via directions from the blueprints. Something must have been damaged when your buddy James ripped it from its bounding and threw it."

"Well… fix it!"

"I will. You will just have to wait. I may be a mechanical engineer like Boggs was, it doesn't mean that I'm familiar to what you wanted and what he designed. I _know_ what it's_ supposed _to do. _How _it works, that's what I got to study. The thing is together. Be glad for that. Again…what are a few months to the years it took?"

"Then get busy. Enough time and money have been wasted." Waternoose turned away.

Jester picked up a wench and walked over to the machine. He loosed a few bolts and pulled off a panel. He set it aside and some of his eyes snaked around and looked at the mess of wiring. "Time? Yes. Money? No. I heard that the factory is doing remarkable. Fewer doors are being shredded and there's more energy being put out more then ever now. And all through something as little as a giggle." Jester giggled to himself, his voice remarkably high and almost feminine.

Waternoose hit the side of the wall leaving a dent in the wood. "Don't mention that! It's prosperous! Monsters making children laugh! Monsters have being scaring children for centuries!"

"Oh, don't get your crab claws in a bunch." Jester said rolling half of his eyes.

Waternoose stomped over and pushed the machine so that it knocked into Jester. He had had his head into the opened panel in the machine and when the thing was pushed over, it hit him in the head.

He yelped then lifted his head and glared at Waternoose. All of his red eyes were narrowed at his boss. "I suggest that you don't do that again. You have a foul temper that you need to control. I'm not Boggs. What you tried with him won't work with me. Now you go on and let me do my job here." With one last calm glare Jester then returned to his work. He allowed a mean smirk play over his lips as Waternoose stormed off.

Waternoose may have been the one that hired him, but it also didn't mean he could treat him like trash. Jester had a feeling that he had used all kinds of threats on Randall Boggs, but the same threats wouldn't work on him. One, he was older then Boggs and not as naive, two, Waternoose may still be powerful but he wasn't as powerful as he used to be. Jester may be doing the dirty work here; it just didn't mean he would allow himself to be treated dirty.

XXXX

Though they never spoke of Randall's breakdown after he talked to her about his parents, she could see a slight change in him. He was more comfortable and relaxed. She knew that the stress and the negative memories in his past would not leave him overnight. It'll still take awhile, but he was getting there as he was starting to show her a side that he probably hasn't shown to anyone in years.

It was about week and a half until Christmas and she had been all prepared to tell him about it if he didn't know what Christmas was about. But again, it seemed that Christmas was another holiday that the Monster World seemed to celebrate as well.

When she had gotten off at the zoo, one evening, she decided that it would be the best time to go ahead and put the decorations up. They had finished with some of the pine garland that was hung through the house and was now working on the tree .

"And meenoo means?" she asked as she hung a gold bulb on the tree. She had begun to give him lessons in the Cajun French. Though she preferred to speak English, she still figured that it wouldn't hurt to teach him some words and phrases.

"Cat," Randall said.

"Yes! Like… dôn step on dat meenoo!" Danielle allowed herself to slip right into the pure backwater Cajun accent that her mother and the LaGide's spoke with. It was so thick that Randall almost had a hard time understanding her.

He paused, "What?"

Danielle smiled, and pointed behind him. "Dôn step on dat meenoo!" she said again in the same thick tongue. "Don't step on that cat!" She spoke more clearly.

Randall jumped and looked behind him. Sure enough, Butter was trying to bat out a green Christmas bulb from the box on the floor. The huge yellow cat blinked up at Randall then narrowed his copper orange eyes then turned and walked off.

Danielle watched this exchange with amusement. Randall got along fine with Bread, even catching him petting her sometimes, but Butter just didn't want anything to do with Randall. She burst out laughing. Butter had given Randall a cat's glare and Randall just stared back, his fronds even rising up a fraction as the end of his tail twitched. "What is it with you two?"

Randall turned back to Danielle, "I don't know. He's never liked me."

"He likes most people. But he just dôn like you!" Danielle sniggered as she looked around the side of the tree at Randall. "Ca viens?"

"What?" Randall hung a sliver bulb and looked back at her.

"How is it coming?" She stepped out from behind the tree and stood beside Randall.

"This is the last one." He showed her the red one he had then placed it upon the tree.

Danielle stepped back farther looking at the tree. _It was beautiful, _she thought. At that thought, she gave Randall a sidelong look. He was standing with all four hands on his side, large head tilted, looking at the tree closely. He'd turned out to be one of those people who redecorated the tree after it was finished. Immediately after she had placed her last ornament on the tree, he'd begun switching the colors so that there weren't two same colored ornaments hanging side by side. _But it had made the tree even prettier, _she thought with a wry smile.

"So…what do you want to do now?" She asked.

"It's still early…how about a game of chess?" He asked.

"I don't know. You going to play by the human rules?" Danielle asked looking at him with a meaningful look. They hadn't played since she had found out that he had been using the rules and strategies from his world.

"I didn't read that book for nothing." Randall smirked at her.

"Fine. You set the board up and I'll put these empty boxes up," she began to gather the boxes.

Randall nodded as Danielle picked up the boxes. She carried them down the hall and came back for a chair from the kitchen. She saw that Randall had the board up and on the small table that they used. He looked up, "Black or white?"

"You pick."

"Black. And don't fall. I wouldn't be there to catch you this time," He said with a straight face.

"You didn't catch me the first time anyway," Danielle shot back.

"Not when you fell off the chair."

Danielle stared at him, not understanding at first then she remembered, "Oh," she blushed and this time Randall did smirk. "I said I was sorry."

"I didn't complain did I?" His smirk turned into a grin when he saw her turn red.

"Hmm." She just hurried down the hall, though she did hear him chuckle.

"Now, really…don't fall _off _the _chair,_" he called after her.

"Shut up," she mumbled still blushing as she stood up on the chair and popped the panel opened and began to shove the boxes into the attic.

When the last box was in the attic she made her way back to the living room with the chair. Randall already had the board set up and was standing by his stool. He was staring at the tree that was still lit. He had a distant and thoughtful look on his face.

She came up behind him and tapped his shoulder. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"You would be spending too much. So you ready for the game?" He indicted the chess set.

"Yes." She moved the chair around to the other side. She sat down as Randall settled onto his stool. "I never thought that you would like chess this much."

"Chess is alright. When I had the time back home, I did like video games. I still play the ones you got, but since you're such a terrible player with those and chess seems to be the only game you are good at…though you still lose at that, I figure we'll stick to chess when we play any game." Randall said as he watched Danielle move her first piece.

"Randall! An insult and a compliment then back to an insult? Isn't there a rule against that?" Danielle frowned at him though it she was fighting back a small smile.

"What? How is it an insult when both are true?" Randall asked as he moved his own pawn.

"Just because it's true, doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. In fact… I'm wounded!" Danielle did a fake pout.

Randall just rolled his eyes as he stared at the board.

"I'm watching you…"

"Huh?"

"I'm watching you. You better play…" Danielle started to say.

"By your human rules, I know." Randall finished. He moved his knight and looked back up at her with a small smile. "Just don't cry when I win."

"I never cry!"

"You pout."

"I do not!"

"Yes… you do," Randall laughed, "Your turn," he leaded back and indicated the broad.

The game then turned into an intense battle that neither was willing to lose…until….

"Checkmate," Randall said with his trademark grin.

"Damn!"

Randall threw back his head and laughed.

"Shut up!" Danielle snarled.

This made him laugh harder. He glanced at her face and he laughed even harder. "Y-you're pouting!"

"I'm fixing dinner, then I'm calling rematch…and this time I _will_ win!" Danielle stood up and stormed off to the kitchen while Randall was left snickering.

Danielle wasn't really mad, though she was annoyed. She had planned on winning at least _one_ game. She pulled out a few pots. Since having Randall with her for almost two months, and was cooking for two people, she rediscovered how much she enjoyed cooking. Her native Cajun dishes held an art that she was actually proud of. It wasn't much fun in cooking for one person, not to mention pointless. She began to prepare the ingredients she needed.

Within a few minutes, a delicious smell began filling the room and Randall walked over to see what Danielle was cooking. She was sautéing onions and slices of fish. A pot of water was heating on another part of the stove.

"What are you making this time?" Randall asked as he watched her.

"I had me an ahnvee for some court bouillon and a jambalaya with some marecage," Danielle said.

"Say again?"

Danielle laughed, "An ahnvee means a longing or hunger. Court bouillon is a tomato based soup with a lot of onions and bell peppers and made with redfish, while the jambalaya I'm making will have rice, celery, _green_ peppers and more tomatoes. It usually calls for beef, pork, fowl, smoked sausage and or ham. Since I don't eat any of that I use marecage with is seafood."

"Ok. I think do prefer English too." Randall said taking all that in.

Danielle added her base to the water and laughed, "Oh, believe me, the language can get even more complicated. But that's not why I like English better. It's just that English it one of the most spoken languages. Spanish close behind. Cajun French which died off then came back is still not well known anymore." She handed Randall a knife and a bowl of red and green peppers. "Here. Have fun."

Randall just gave a lopsided smirk and got to work. They worked in silence for awhile. "So," Randall said, while he cut the vegetables in strips, "you don't eat any meat what so ever?"

"No. I do eat seafood, but I haven't eaten beef, pork or chicken since I was 13. It was a taste that I grew out of, plus I felt weird eating it when by then I had decided to be a veterinarian. Caring for cow at work then going home and eating tasso, which is jerky made out of beef or pork, seemed wrong to me. So though I eat seafood and eggs, I stay away from most meat. It's another argument that my mother _loves_ to fight about."

"Hmm. So what is your mother's problem?"

"Honestly? I don't know. Sometimes I think it's because I don't 'embrace' my heritage as much as she wants me too, other times she thinks that I'm too outspoken. Other times it's because she thinks that I'm 'ruined' because I've had boyfriends. She believes that I'll never get married and have kids. She can nag and nag with no end. 'Fix your hair! Buy a pretty dress and go out and date!' My kooky motier foux vielle mother. Once I turned 18 she had nagged about getting married, 'find yourself a good man and settle down, have some kids' Settle down? That's bullshit. Excuse me for wanting to get my own career!"

Randall sniggered as he listened to her rant as he finished cutting the peppers. Danielle took them from him, her cheeks red from the heat of the stove and annoyance. "She sounds like she's something."

"Oh, she's a terror. A…" Danielle glanced at him, "a monster."

Randall laughed, "Must have been a monster in a former life."

"Must have. Don't get me wrong…. I love her with the usual love that children have for overbearing, overcurious parents, but damn…"

"So, since I'm still curious, what does, motear foo vellei, mean?" Randall tried to pronounce the words as best as he could.

"Motier foux vielle?" The words rolled of her tongue with ease. "I basically called her my half crazy old mother. So…ready to eat?"

They sat down to the table and set about dealing with the delicious meal. Before long, both were contentedly full.

"That was wonderful," he said.

"Thank you. I'll teach you some those dishes yet," she said with an impish grin.

Randall stood up, moving to clear the table. Danielle glanced at him, surprised, but didn't comment. "You did most of the cooking," he told her. "I'll do the dishes."

"Oh, that's ok," she said, but Randall shook his head.

"No, really."

"At least let me help," she said. "I'll wash, you rinse, ok?"

"Sounds good."

They worked in companionable silence, washing up the few dishes. Randall dried them and put them away.

"Thanks, Randall," she said as he stacked the last plate in the cupboard.

"No problem," he answered easily.

"Ok. Now," she said as she clapped her hands, a determined glint coming into her eyes, "Ready for that rematch?"

"Oh yes. You aren't going to pout again are you?" Randall asked playfully.

"Oh no! It's going to be _you_ to boude'd beb!"

xx

The chess match that followed was long and hard. Eventually and _finally _Danielle pulled off her promised victory much to Randall's horror.

"Checkmate," Danielle said rather surprised herself.

"Damn," Randall said as he stared at the board.

This struck Danielle as very amusing and she began to giggle.

"You beat me..."

She got her giggling under control. "I'm surprised too."

"Hmm…. well…I'm impressed." Randall stared at the board a few more minutes.

"Err... thanks. But that was the best match I've ever had," Danielle nodded.

"Really? Well…in that case...wanna play again?"

"You read my mind." Danielle began to set the board up again.

"Oh and before I forget…what does bouded beb mean?" Randall asked as he watched her.

Danielle froze then resumed setting the pieces up. "Boude'd means to pout."

"And beb? Is that the same as monster or critter?"

Danielle turned red and mumbled.

"What?" Randall looked at her curiously.

"Beb means…" Danielle dropped her head, her hair failing in her face to hid her beet red blush that covered her face, "it means sweetheart." Her head jerked up and she spun the board so that the white was on Randall's side and she had the black. "White goes first! Your turn!"

Xxx

Mike Wazowski drug a stool up to a new door. One more door and it was quitting time. He had a highly romantic evening planned for him and his 'shoopsipoo'. He was close. Oh so close to popping the question she clearly longed to hear. He was only putting it off until his best friend came out of his funk from missing the little human girl and the stress from feeling guilty after banishing Randall. In his own opinion, Lizard Boy got what he deserved and more, but Sulley clearly didn't fell that way, so Mike would take extra time in helping the search for Randall. The door that Mike had picked, he had chosen because it was located in the middle of a swamp. That's all he remembered. He couldn't remember where or the serial number, though he had been trained to. He had barely glanced at the numbers. He had punched in a code for a door from Louisiana and the system had sent him some random door. He hadn't paid any attention to the numbers that had flashed on the control panel.

What was taking so long was they had to go through each and every card and call the door up. The one card that didn't have a door would be the one that had been shattered then lost in the clean up. They were making progress though. They had narrowed the location to the southeast portion of the state. It would still take weeks to look through the files though.

Mike sighed then put his normal smirk on his face. "So… talk to me," he said to his little assistant, a short blue and green spotted female monster that had short fur and single spiraling horn that came of her forehead. "What's the history on the door?"

"New Orleans, Louisiana. Child is a five-year-old boy Marshall Luce. No pets, one sibling, a ten year old sister named Julie. Bed wetter," she said, looking over the file.

"Alright! Who was his old monster?"

Tatu smiled, "Mr. Sullivan."

Mike stared at her, "You're joking?"

"No sir. It says it right here. Mr. Sullivan was his monster," she showed him the file.

Mike looked over the file. It did say James P. Sullivan. Mike laughed, "Ooohhh the irony! Ok, acti-vate that door!"

"Right away!" She chipped and hit the button.

Mike drug the stool through the door that she opened for him. He had his mike in one hand and looked around. The room was a classic five-year-old boy's room. The kid seemed to favor trains. Mike took note of this as he set the stool up by the kid's bed. He climbed up on it and watched the kid for a second and then spoke. "Greetings to the little man from down south!"

The kid snapped his eyes opened and took one look at Mike and screamed bloody murder.

"Hey! No harm here! I-"

"Mama!" the kid screamed then began to throw pillows at the little monster.

"Hey, hey! I just trying to tell a jok-" he was cut off when a pillow hit him square in the face. He fell back and then froze when he heard footsteps. "Oh for the love of god! Fait pas une esquandal!"

Mike gasped and grabbed the stool and shot back through the closet door. "Shut it down! Shut it down! Shut it down… NOW!"

Mike bent over gasping.

"What's going on Mike?" the deep voice of Sullivan asked.

Mike looked up, "The kid was scared to death of me! I didn't even get to try my new 'knock knock' joke out!" He heaved a sigh. "Think we should shred it?" He asked as he looked back over at the white door.

"What? No. We've only just changed from scaring children to making them laugh a month ago. We need to give them time." Sullivan said.

"Yeah, I sure hope that he turns around soon. I'd hate to think that even one kid is immune to my wonderful power to make them laugh!" Mike said as he puffed his chest out.

"The King of Comedy huh?" Sulley smiled.

"You better believe it pal!" Mike looked back at the door that was being sent back to the door vault. "I hope that the sister has more of a funny bone."


	23. Chapter 23

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**A chapter that really does have a purpose…there is a method to my madness! **

**Chapter 23**

XXXX

It was a rare sunny day after the past few weeks of rain and clouds. It was Danielle's day off and she had a late start as she always did on her days off. She was staring out the window as she finished brushing her hair. Pulling it back into a loose ponytail, she opened the door and made her way to the kitchen, preparing herself for more of Randall's mocking because she had slept late. However, as she walked into the kitchen, she was pleasantly surprised.

Randall was standing at the stove cooking a late breakfast. But this isn't what surprised her. He had cooked before, but it was usually much earlier while she had slept in on her days off. When he generally cooked he would usually place hers in the microwave until she woke up, mocking her for sleeping in so late. But today was different. She blinked then walked into the kitchen with a yawn and a shrug and walked over to pour herself a cup of coffee. She then made her way over to the table and sat down. Almost right away a plate of eggs and toast was set in front of her.

She looked up at him in surprise. He just shrugged and gave her a slight smile and sat down at his stool with his own plate.

"Good morning," he said. "Did you sleep well?"

"Fine, thanks." She tilted her head and looked at him. "Are you sick?"

Randall laughed, "Why do you ask?"

"It's just that you're being so…. nice."

"I can be nice contrarily to what people think," he said as he picked up his fork. "You going to eat?"

Danielle had still been staring at him but shook it off. She picked up her own fork and they both began to eat. Randall finished first and took his plate the to sink and began to wash it. When he was finished and he had poured himself other cup of coffee, he brought the coffee pot over to Danielle and automatically refilled her mug.

Danielle looked up from staring down at her plate, "Thank you."

"Welcome." he returned the pot back to its base. He turned back and stared at Danielle. He frowned. Something was wrong. He could feel it and _see_ it. She was usually more energetic then this. "What's wrong?"

"Huh?"

"What's wrong? You seem…depressed today." Randall carried his cup back over to the table and regarded her with his green eyes.

"Oh." Danielle paused. "I got a call late last night from my mother. She wants me to go to Florida for Christmas. She even told me that she had already bought the plane ticket and I was to met Margot and her kids at the airport."

"Sounds like a hidden order."

"Hidden? No. It was a demand." Danielle looked back down at her plate and finished her eggs half heartily, "I don't know what to do. When I didn't go Thanksgiving I got hell. Imagine what would happen if I don't go for Christmas."

Randall was silent. He was slightly torn. Half of him was telling himself that he shouldn't care if she stayed or went. That he didn't need her around him all the time. But the other half was telling him that he did care. That he really didn't want to be left alone for that long even if it was for a few days, even if it was for her family. The slightly selfish part of him was arguing with him that she could see them any time. He was leaving soon and he didn't want to be alone. The past two years he had skipped out on all things even holidays building the SE. He had worked Thanksgivings on it. He had even gone as far as spending both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day down in the dank basement, never even left those two days. He had ate and even slept down there for those days while everyone else had spent time with friends and family. Even Fungus had a family to go home to. Randall had spent those days alone in the basement. He had tried to be indifferent to the upcoming holiday but as it drew nearer, the 'Christmas Blues' as she had called them was beginning to threaten him. He didn't want to spend his first free and banished Christmas alone.

But, he knew it also wasn't fair to her. She had already done more then anyone has ever done for him. The list was too great to even name. And she was still doing more. He could see that she was actually considering on not going. Two months and he was starting to recognize her little signals, her body language. It wasn't hard. She had called him expressive. She was too. She was horrible at hiding most of her emotions.

"So, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. Probably not go."

_Bingo,_ he thought. "Do you want to go?"

"Uh…"

"Danielle, they're your family. It won't hurt my feelings if you said you wanted to go." Randall said gently.

"Well… then yes. I'd like to go this time…but I'll feel horrible leaving you alone, even if it would only be for three days." Danielle bit her lip.

"Don't be. It'll be relaxing. I have spent the last holidays working on that machine. It'll be a relief to spend a holiday out of that basement. You go and spend time with them. I'll still be here when you get back." Randall assured her. "I have nowhere to go. And besides, I can't take the trip to your sister's house yet. It was my doctor's orders." He smiled trying to make light of the mood.

It worked. Danielle laughed. "Not to mention you have no way to get there much less know where they live." She stood up and picked her plate up.

"That too."

She smiled and reached out and cupped his cheek. "Thanks Randall."

He blinked up at her and then patted her hand. "What for? They're your family and they're alive. Of course you'd want to spend time with them as much as you can even if they do drive you nuts. You should enjoy it awhile it lasts."

"Wow Randall, never knew you could be a philosopher too." Danielle smiled as she began to move away.

"What can I say? I'm a monster of many talents." he winked at her.

Danielle snorted, "Really? I'd say more of 'a monster of many egos.'" she smiled as she began to wash her plate off.

"I told you. I'm not egotistical, just competitive."

"You're both, Randall." Danielle said as she dried the plate and put it away.

"You're not being fair to me."

"Life isn't fair." She turned and Randall was right behind her. She jumped.

He nodded, "How well do I know this."

He fell silent as he just stared at her. Danielle began to get nervous and fidgeted slightly and her eyes meet his for a moment before she pressed against the sink and slipped around him, barely brushing against him.

"Is something wrong, Danielle?" he asked though he looked at her like he already knew.

"N... No," she stammered.

"What shall we do today?" he asked as Danielle picked up her mug and finished her coffee, then walked back to the sink to wash the mug out.

She suddenly looked surer of herself. "Good question," she replied, then her eyes lit up, "Actually, now that I think of it…"

"You mean you can actually string two coherent thoughts together?" his sarcastic side was reasserting itself.

"Yes, I know it's hard for someone with such limited intelligence as yourself to realize such a feat, but I do hold that ability." she copied his earlier wink and opened the back door and looked out.

Randall gaped at her back. Did she just call him stupid? _Don't pretend you're not enjoying the conversation. _He told himself. "What were you thinking?" he grumbled

"I've forgot," she replied glumly, "Don't distract me."

Randall sniggered.

"Oh wait! Now I remember!" she looked back at him. "You feel up for a walk?"

"A walk?"

"Yeah. There's a nice little path that's goes about a mile into the swamp. The path is solid and safe. I figured that since we've been cooped up in here since it's been raining that a walk will do us some good."

"I'd actually love to take a walk. But want about my cast?"

Danielle stared down at his leg. "It'll be fine. I was planning on cleaning it again today anyway and I had gotten brand new ace bandages. So you ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

Ten minutes later, they were strolling down a narrow path. Danielle walked beside Randall with a long stick that she had picked up as they had walked past the barn. She had told him it was mainly for precaution. They walked along the dirt path. It was still soggy from the water that seemed to stay in the ground and from the previous rains. The air had a strange smell to Randall, but it wasn't so unpleasant any more. The mixture of soggy earth, stale water and rotting plants wasn't so overpowering anymore. The air still carried the heady scent of fresh air. He took a deep breath. "It certainly smells different then the city…even the small town I was from."

"Yeah, I'm so used to it that it doesn't bother me anymore. Baton Rouge and New Orleans…. as beautiful as they are in the summer or when it's ready hot and humid, like the night I found you, it came get overwhelming. " She fell quiet and they walked on for a bit. "I'd like to show you," she said suddenly.

"Show me what?" Randall glanced at her.

She met his eyes with a smile.

"The city. The lights… I know that you have seen your city but there's nothing like Baton Rouge or New Orleans. It's beautiful. Everything is beautiful. The lights, the homes, the culture, the _music_, even the cemeteries. The people's beautiful too, but I bet you think humans are ugly huh?" she smiled as she winked at him.

Randall just smirked and didn't answer.

"I like the city, but I like it out here too. I've lived out here all my life." She gestured to the canopy above them and the tree trunks stretching to bury their gnarled roots in the earth at their feet. "I love it here but I also love the city. It's kinda messed up."

"Not really. You like both places. But you want more then what you were raised to see. You wanted to see the city, so you saw it and fell in love with it." Randall's voice then took on a faraway tone, "But it soon became over whelming because you were raised in the small town and you wished you could go back, but pride made you stay. You became determined to suck it up and show those city people that you were more then a Hoosi- a hick. That you could play right up there with the big boys."

Danielle was quiet, a small sad smile on her lips as she listened to him. He was looking straight ahead as he walked over the soft soggy ground. They walked through a patch of sun and the light hit his scales and the colors flashed in a bright healthy array of colors. He shimmered for a few minutes then it stopped as they walked back under the trees' shadows.

"You wanted to prove yourself, so instead of running back you stayed and soon became caught up in something that was way over your head." Randall fell quiet and stopped to study a moss-covered tree.

"So that we are clear…whom were we talking about again?" Danielle asked gently.

Randall's head shot up and he twisted to look at her. "We were discussing you."

"Were we?" she asked. "I think it did started about me, but we've been talking about you all along."

"Wait…. I…"

Danielle smiled and reached out and took his hand. "It's alright. It seems that we're both alike in the 'hick' stigma huh?" She then tugged on his hand slightly, "Come on… there's still a ways to go." She gently tugged until he began to walked again, only she didn't let go of his hand and he didn't let go of hers, but tightened his three fingers more securely around her own fingers.

XXXX

They didn't rush the walk at all. They stopped at times and just hung around the trees while they chatted. Randall had even gone as far as climbing a few. He was thoroughly enjoying himself as he managed to scare Danielle at least once, causing her to trip and stumble into a calf deep bog, thus giving him a good laugh. Danielle took it in good stride, just calming wiping the thick slimy cold mud from her jeans. While Randall was laughing, Danielle calmly but deliberately walked over to Randall. He was leaning against a huge tree laughing. He wasn't paying her any attention.

"Hey, Randall, beb," she said surgery sweet.

Randall looked up and to Danielle; the sound of mud splattering a face at close range was most satisfying.

She had flicked her mud-covered fingers at him and his wide grinning face was now spattered with mud. "Now," she said sweetly, "we're even." She smiled at the shocked look on his face.

"I should take a cue from your sister and toss you into the nearest bog," he growled, though it was all show.

"You wouldn't dare." Danielle said, backing up nonetheless.

"Oh, wouldn't I?" He took a step forward, an evil grin splitting his face.

"I'll get the spray paint," Danielle threatened.

"It's back at the barn… too far. We're all alone out here." He took another step.

Danielle did what any sensible person would do when threatened with being mud dunked… she turned and bolted. She ran a short distance but even though Randall had a leg encased in a cast he was faster then her. He popped out ahead of her from behind a tree. She skidded to a stop and fell back on her rear, mud soaking through the seat of her jeans.

He stood over her and smirked, his hands on his sides as he regarded her with amusement. "See, that's what you get…never try to outrun me. Even with this horrible cast…I'm faster then you." He held out one of his hands to help her up. Danielle gathered her legs under her and took it. He hoisted her up with a grunt.

"Oh, stuff it," she slapped at him playfully.

A grin came over his face. "There's just too much I could say to that."

Danielle's eyes widened, "I withdraw the phrase then." She blushed like mad.

"Intelligent child," he laughed, completely unprepared for the handful of mud that promptly found its way on his wide face.

"Never call me 'child' when I'm armed." she smiled innocently.

xxx

By the time they made it back, both were shivering and muddy. The sun was sinking beyond the trees when they rounded the side of the barn. The walk had been very refreshing. Danielle stopped Randall at the back door. "Hold on," she said. She bent down and rolled her jeans up so that she wouldn't drip slime and mud through the house. She then turned to Randall. He had already wiped a lot of the mud off his face and feet. She reached out and with a gentle hand helped wipe more mud off his face. She smiled as she stared at him. "We really need to get washed up. We look a lot like mashwarohns…. catfish,"

"So we do. You started it." Randall reached out and pulled a muddy leaf from her hair.

"Oh no, beb…you did." Danielle blushed then shivered. "Let's go in."

Randall nodded and shivered himself.

Danielle made a beeline to her bedroom and into her bathroom. She stood in the bathroom shivering as she pulled her muddy clothes off and tossed them into the tub. They hit the bottom of the porcelain tub with wet spats. As she looked down at the muddy clothes, she made a mental note never to engage Randall in any kind of war. Especially a mud war. Most would have stopped, but not to be outdone, he had returned the gesture and a scoop of mud had found a new home on Danielle's head. They had behaved like children…but it had been fun.

She gathered the muddy clothes up and pulled out a bag that she kept under bathroom sink and bagged them. This would have to be washed separately. She stepped into the shower and began the task of getting the nasty mud out of her hair.

Xxx

When she finally emerged Randall had already finished since he didn't have to contend with things such as hair. A pot of coffee was already made, and he had even cleaned and found the new ace bandages. He had rewrapped the bandages around his leg and replaced the clean cast. He was currently standing in the living room sipping from his mug. Bread was leaning her old body against his belly and he was absentmindedly petting her.

Danielle watched him for a few minutes until he noticed her.

"What?"

"Nothing, only if you are going to outside, I think you might need something warmer." she looked at him thoughtfully.

"No human clothes will fit. Unless you have a 12 foot tall man with four legs and four arms around." He quipped.

"No, but a large coat would work. I think I still have my dad's old one in the attic. What about shoes? Have you ever worn shoes? Pants?" Danielle walked to the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee.

"Only in the winter and only for a short about of time. I hate clothes. Restricts my movements. A coat will be fine." He had followed her.

She nodded and took a sip of her coffee. "That's a relief. I would have no idea how to rig up any pants for you. Besides you would only need these items for a few more months."

"Can you sew?"

"Barely." she set her coffee aside and sighed. She walked over and grabbed a chair. She shook her head as she started down the hall, placing the chair near the attic panel.

She stared up at the closed door and shuttered.

"Why do you hate going up there?" Randall asked.

"Another one of my sister's stunts." She climbed up on the chair and knocked open the door in the ceiling that led to the attic. She paused and looked down at Randall. "Mom and Dad had went to town to do some shopping and left me and Margot alone. She was 17 old enough to know better. I was only 10. I wanted to play. She suggested hide and seek. I, of course, thought this was a great idea as it was my favorite game. So while she counted, I hid.

"And you hid in the attic." Randall said.

"That's right. I hid in the attic. She knew this and she came around and locked the hatch and removed the chair. I was stuck up there for hours."

"Why would she do that?" Randall asked, disbelief on his face.

"I don't know. She could be nice one minute and try to kill me the next." Danielle looked into the dark hole and wrinkled her nose. She looked down when she felt a touch on her leg.

"I'll go up there if you don't want to." Randall looked up at her.

"No. I know which box it is in; I'll be faster if I just go myself. But," she leaned down and tapped his sagittal crest just in front of his first frond, "but that was sweet of you, beb." she then reached up and grasped the edges of the hole and while Randall held the chair steady, with a grunt, she maneuvered her way into the hole and disappeared through it.

Danielle stood up in the attic and clicked the light on. She looked around and felt a chill run down her spine. She then lifted her chin in defiance and marched across the 10-foot long attic space and to a stack of plastic totes. She picked one up and set it to the side so she could get to the second one. She lifted the lift and the dust that had settled around the plastic box rose up and she began to sneeze. When she was done she was well aware of laugher from Randall. She ignored it and dug through the old clothes until she came to what she was looking for. She snapped the lid back down and as fast as she could hurried back to the door. After clicking the light off, she looked down the hole at Randall. "Heads up."

He looked up the moment a coat landed on his head. He pulled it off. "Gee thanks." he said sarcastically.

Danielle giggled. "I couldn't resist."

"I noticed. Coming down now?"

"Yep." She moved so that her legs slid out first and when she felt her feet touch the seat of the chair she let got of the edges of the frame and dropped down onto the chair.

XX

When the panel had been closed and the chair put back, they moved to the living room. Randall was now wearing a dark brown leather trench coat while Danielle smoothed the stiffness out. He could feel her pressing against his back as she also wiped a damp cloth over the leather to gather up any dust. The thing was huge. The shoulders were too wide and it could wrap around him twice. It was long as well. The edges draped down and covered a good 6 feet of his frame. He twisted his head to look back at her. "You done now?"

Danielle stood up and looked at him. "Yep. You can take it off."

Randall slipped out of it and hung it up on the hook beside Danielle's coat. "I thought that your father was tall and thin. Not tall and wide. Any wider and he could match up with Sullivan."

"He _is_ tall and thin. Now. He had gained some weight, and the doctor told him that he better lose it or else. Now he's thin again." Danielle walked into the kitchen and tossed the dusty rag into the washer. "That coat is basically brand new." She turned to look Randall who had followed and was leaning against the doorframe. "Will it work?"

"Yes. It's fine." a small tight-lipped smile crossed his face. "Hey, Danielle, I've been meaning to ask…. why is it that you keep calling me' beb'?"

He watched as Danielle flushed.

"I already told you, that it's just a saying here. Dat dôn mean nothins!" In her embarrassment, her accent became thicker then normal and she slipped yet again back into the thicker Cajun that he noticed that she tried so hard to hide.

He planted fake look of hurt on his face, "'Dat dôn mean nothins? Why that hurts."

"Wh-it's just a common thing we say! It's a lot of us says it and, and it," Danielle was stumbling over her words.

She was so amusing when he surprised her and had her tripping over her words. He loved getting her flustered. Randall chuckled softly, "I know what you mean. But really, why are you starting to use it now?"

Danielle sobered. "Cause, I'd like to think of us as friends." Danielle paused and looked him in the eyes. "_Are_ we friends Randall?"

Randall lifted his head higher and out of its normal arch and stared back into her muddy hazel eyes. "Yes." he said seriously and with true meaning.

XX

Mike pouted as he sat at his desk chair. He was sunk into an uncharacteristic depression. He had just tried the sister's door to the boy that he had failed to make laugh. The girl was a pretty chubby thing that liked horses. The moment she had seen him she had, like her brother, screamed bloody murder. This time instead of a pillow hitting him, it was a stuffed horse that she was sleeping with.

Mike had stumbled out of the room and stumbled over, nearly tripping over his own feet to the desk chair, flopped down, not caring how he sat. He sighed as he stared at the door. Little Tatu walked up to him. She patted him on the head in a sisterly way.

"I'm sorry, sir." she said as her red eyes showed her sympathy. "Do you want me to have it shredded?"

Mike thought about this. Sulley had told him that if the girl was scared as well, Mike had the choice of shredding both doors. He shook his head. "No. Not yet. Put it down as marked. And call the brother's door back up in a few days. I'll try the boy again. If he doesn't laugh, we'll shred both doors."


	24. Chapter 24

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Ha-HA- Finally some freaking action! And uh-oh! **

**Chapter 24**

XX

The warehouse shook with a small boom.

Inside, a black and light blue 7 foot tall monster ran to the small sink and turned the cold water on. He hissed in pain as he ran his bleeding and burnt hand under the water. He watched the blood go down the drain in morbid fascination. He pulled his dark blue hand out. His second set of hands were a naturally dark blue and the crispy burnt flesh was black and the skin peeled back and red traumatized flesh looked up at him. "Ow." he mumbled. He pulled down a first aid kit and got busy taking care of his hand. Jester knew that he should go to the hospital with a burn this bad, but he knew that there wasn't much more to do. He hated pain, and besides, he had always been a fast healer. In two to three months, what would take longer with others, the hand will be sore but healed. Almost good as new.

Finished caring for his hand, he turned and glared at the machine. The insides were now a mess. He had been doing some rewiring and a wire had gotten crossed and it had cause a big electrical shock that had almost fried his hand and shook the whole building. Jester walked back over and smacked the machine like it was a naughty child. "Behave yourself," he snarled. His face then softened as he looked in the side panel. "I'm sorry. I bet you miss Boggs huh? He was the one that created you." Jester looked at the mess of wires and began to rip them out. No way would they work now. He had to start over. As he pulled the wires, he continued to talk to the machine like it was a sentient being. "I mean, he did create you. Took him a total of almost three years. Poor kid." He stepped back and looked thoughtfully at the empty hole and then down at the burnt and melted wires. "Hmm."

He walked over to a table where he had Randall's blue prints spread out. He picked up a moldy cheese sandwich and took a bite as he studied the paper. Suddenly the cell phone rang. Jester rolled his all his eyes. He knew who was calling. He called at least once a day. Jester picked it up. "Hello, SE Repair monster. You break it, I fix it how can I help you?"

"Bobbens….I don't care for your sense of humor." Waternoose said in a disgusted tone.

"Yes, you're right. That wasn't my funniest bit. How about-"

"I hope that you don't spend all your time telling jokes! How's the machine coming?" Waternoose snarled.

"Horrible." Jester walked back over to the machine and leaned against it, "She's being a bad girl," Jester lightly smacked it, "Aren't you?" he said to the machine.

"What? I thought that you-"

"Oh, calm down before you have a stroke." Jester paused and a smirk spread across his face. "I don't want that. You haven't paid me yet."

"You won't ever get paid until it is up and running." Waternoose hung up.

Jester snapped the phone closed. "Damn," he looked at the machine, "I'm thinking I might need some help."

XX

Fungus slowly made his way home. He couldn't believe how much things had changed. Monsters were now making children laugh and in his opinion it seemed much safer and quieter. Laughs were more pleasing to the ears then shrill nerve-racking screams. He was even able to do more then play assistant. He was now a superior, a Laugher. A good one too. Not the best, but he was among the top four, with Wazowski in the lead. Fungus's own small practical jokes made him great with most kids.

Practical jokes. Some that he had even used on Randall at times. True, Fungus had a natural nervous demeanor, but he played on it for Randall hoping to help relive his stress. Fungus had always felt sorry for the stressed out monster. He admitted that he pushed Randall buttons, then allowed Randall to take his anger and frustration out on him. He even remembered when Randall wasn't so stressed out. He had be a fair superior but it slowly slipped into were Randall looked like he was loosing sleep and was becoming snappy and irritable. Fungus had wondered what was wrong but it wasn't his place to pry. They had been acquaintances, nothing more. Not friends like Sullivan and Wazowski was. It wasn't until he had accidentally seen a paper describing the functions of the Scream Extractor that he knew what was going on. Waternoose had found him looking it over and after the old monster had got done browbeating Randall for letting Fungus see the plans, Waternoose had given Fungus the choice of being banished that very night, or to help Randall. Fungus of course, chose to help Randall. No sane monster wanted to be banished.

Fungus knew that the story that Wazowski had told the CDA, everyone, was a lie. He knew what had happened. He had even seen it. He had made his way to the Door Vault too late and from a distance had seen the two monsters throw Randall into a door. He kept his mouth shut though. He knew that he would be in trouble himself if he mentioned anything. After all, he was just as guilty as Randall, Waternoose, and Sullivan and Wazowski. It didn't help the fact that he felt that Randall gotten the worst of it, when it was Waternoose that had started it all. He wondered if somehow Randall had made it. There was a chance that Randall was dead. But there was another chance that he could still be alive. But too many other factors played in.

Using the beam of streetlights to guide his way, Fungus walked to his own apartment. He shivered from the cold wind that chilled his small body. He even missed the brooding and complaining Randall did as they sometimes walked together. They lived in opposite directions but both took the same path for most of the way, before Randall would split off down another road while Fungus would continue to head straight for the most part. Randall may not have been a friend, but the brooding monster had scared off many other monsters that wanted to mess with Fungus.

As Fungus passed the alley that Randall took to head home, Fungus slowed ever so slightly. He stared down the alley in guilt. Suddenly he saw something moving. It at first moved in the gait like Randall moved in. He stopped and stared. "R-Randall?" If it was Randall how did he make it back?

"Hello Jeffrey Frungus," a soft feminine but male voice said.

It wasn't Randall.

"He-hello." Fungus took a step back when a very tall monster stepped out of the shadows. He had twelve red eyes that blinked down at him. The monster was light blue with two black rings around his neck and a black ring around his tail that broke off and the rest of his tail ended in black. He also had a band of black around his thighs. His six arms were folded, though he held the second left hand that had naturally dark blue 'gloves' tenderly. A white bandage was wrapped around it. "C-can I help you?"

The monster's flat face split into a nasty grin that almost looked like it would spilt his head in half. Sharp teeth came into view, "Oh, yes. Yes you can. You remember a little machine called…. The Scream Extractor?"

Fungus felt a cold chill go down his spine. Not again! "What?" he squeaked. He began to whimper and shake. He watched as the twelve red eyes moved out from the monster's flat face and move around on stalks. Some of them focused on Fungus.

"Calm down. You see, I'm fixing it and, well silly me, I just can't seem to get it up and running." the blue monster was still grinning a creepy grin.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" Fungus turned to run when the other monster's tail tripped him. He fell flat on his face with a squeak. He felt himself picked up by the fin on his back and then tossed into the alley. Fungus landed on a pile of trash. He whimpered in fear and scrambled to get back up when he was picked up by one of his legs and was bought up face to face to the monster.

The monster was still grinning calmly. "Oh, I think you do know what I'm talking about. The name's Jester by the way." he then dropped Fungus and lifted a foot and placed it on Fungus's belly, the long black claws pressed threatening against his throat.

Jester then pulled a phone out from the pack that he had strapped around his waist and just above his little potbelly. He dialed Waternoose's number.

"Hello?"

"Hello Mr. Waternoose. The Scream Extractor is back on schedule. I got me a little helper, isn't that right?" Jester leaned down and pushed his face in Fungus's face. He pressed harder on Fungus's belly and the toe claws dug into his throat more.

"Y-yes!"

"Good little Frungus." Jester grinned down at him nastily.

XXX

Danielle slid into her truck and when she tried to start it, she found that, after turning the key the truck wouldn't start. She froze and checked the gas gauge. Full. The boy didn't siphoned any gas out. She tuned the key again. Nothing happened."Damn it!" Danielle snapped.

She pulled the release and climbed out and looked into the engine, but she might as well have been trying to read Japanese for all that she could make sense of the mechanical workings. Her head fell against the opened hood. She had two hours before she had to be into work. True, Ray would understand, but she didn't want to call in. Every Monday the delivery came to the restaurant at eight, and she needed to be there to do the inventory that took hours.

She heard the screen door open then close. Danielle looked over at Randall as he brushed against her when he came to stand beside her. He looked at the engine in curiosity then at her. "What's wrong this time?"

"Truck won't start. There's gas in the tank. I don't know what's wrong. The thing had never given me trouble before."

"Hmm," Randall stretched up so that his entire top half of his body was leaning over the engine. He found the process of a human car burning gasoline for fuel fascinating. He had been reading the books that Danielle had brought him and even been studying some of the workings on the Internet, when it worked that is. She had been right. The service was terrible out here. He moved farther over the engine, his back legs his only legs on the ground while he braced his two other against the grill. "Sounds like it's an electrical problem…" he reached in and unscrewed the distributor cap, looked at it then replaced it. It still looked good.

It took all of Randall's self-control to keep himself from dismantling the engine then and there to find out how it worked. The machine was utterly fascinating.

Apart from not wanting to upset her, Randall had a sneaking suspicion that his human would get her revenge in some frightful way. As he looked over the wires and other fascinating bits, the end of his blue and teal striped tail twitched. He pulled the spark plugs and looked at them. They too looked fine. It wasn't until he looked at the wires that connected the spark plugs that he saw the problem.

"Do you have any electrical tape, Danielle?" he asked. She nodded and walked over to the passenger side and opened the glove box. She grabbed the roll and handed it to him. He tore off a long strip and leaned over the engine to fiddle with something she couldn't see."The spark plug wires are bare. This is NOT the best way to fix it," he tore off another piece of tape, his sharp teeth slicing through the black tape easily, "but it'll get you to the city. I'd have the wires replaced as soon as you can." Randall stepped back and glanced at her. "Try it now!" he said. Danielle nodded and reached in and turned the key and the truck started straight away. He reached up and slammed the hood down"Wow Randall! You're a lifesaver!" she said impressed. "You really are a monster of many talents," Then surprising them both and before she could think or stop herself, she wrapped him in a big hug and even went as far as planting a kiss on his wide face right on his sagittal crest, between his eyes. She stepped back smiled, then seeing the shocked look on his face and realizing what she had done, she blushed beet red. Clearing her throat in embarrassment, she shrugged helplessly, "Yeah, I'll have the wires looked at. I better be going." She smiled with embarrassment and climbed into her truck and backed out and took off down the road.

Randall was left alone staring at the cloud of dust that the tires kicked up from the gravel.

That was new.

He blinked and stepped back inside. On automatic, he picked up his mug from the table and refilled it then turned the coffee pot off. He just stood there with the mug in in his hands. He knew it was only a friendly hug and kiss. It didn't even bother him as it would have in the past. He knew now that humans weren't toxic. He looked down at the black coffee in the mug. They weren't so bad after all. At least Danielle wasn't. He knew that most humans would not have even saved him. They would have killed or taken him to some government agency. The changes of him surviving when he had been tossed through that door had been very slim. He knew that he had been extremely lucky when the smelly humans had dumped him out in that ditch to die. He had been lucky that one of the few humans that had a decent bone in their body had found him. He knew that she had thought him an animal but he can over look that. Once he had spoke, had shown that he wasn't some dumb exotic animal, she had treated him as an equal.

Randall grimaced. He had not. Now that he thought about it, he had been rather rude. It had taken him almost a month to even call her by her name. He hadn't been nice at all. But she had tolerated it, though her patience had worn thin at times. He was lucky that she hadn't finished what the other humans had started.

He sighed and took a drink. But she didn't. He was glad that the old him was starting to came back. The traits he had shown had always been part of him, but they had become so much of his personality that everyone had begun to think that he had always been that way. Sadly, It had been easier for him if they did believe that. He had been able to concentrate fully on the Scream Extractor, though by doing so, it had pushed the few friends that he had away.

So now that he was away from all that and in the care of a human nonetheless, he couldn't help but still be somewhat tense. But that was even slowly fading. He still held his guard, but this was only from if any other humans that stopped by, and thankfully that wasn't too often.

He looked out the window and at the trees that still in the middle of December had most of their leaves. At temperatures that stayed in the 50's and 60's it was still chilly, but not the mind-blowing cold like his hometown or even the city. It was very tolerable. He suddenly grinned in spite. He hoped that some monsters were enjoying the snow that would more then likely cover the streets of Monstropolis soon, if not already.

He had found that the swamps were completely different from the small green hilly town he was from. Even the city, which was crowded and almost colorless. When he had looked at the swamps with a clear head that wasn't still ringing and the nasty cold that had decided to flare it's ugly head, he had thought that the place was a nasty wet environment, but now, after he had a chance to really see it, it wasn't so bad. True, it was muddier then he liked, but looks were deceiving and he had found that it wasn't that muddy or wet. The house was sitting on some solid dry ground, and it only got softer and slightly muddy toward the back of the house were the swamp was. On the walk the other day, he had expected to see endless water. But no. The land from, what he had seen, just had small bogs here and there. Though in the distance at the end of the path had had seen the glint of water.

He had loved that quiet walk, even when he had gotten lost in some old memories. What he had said had been true. When he and his parents had moved to the city he had been excited. He had loved it on first sight, but soon found out how crushing the place could be. But he stuck it out. When his parents had died, he had just started college. He had been temped to head back to his old town, but he had stayed.

Danielle had been right about one thing. They were both alike. Which brought him back to what happened earlier. In the beginning he would have been shuddering in disgust at the mere thought of a kiss from a human, even if it were on his forehead. So why was it now he didn't think it was so terrible?

XXX

Danielle slid into her office chair with a sigh. It had been a hectic morning. She had dropped the truck off at her normal mechanic and had taken a cab to the restaurant just as the delivery truck was pulling away.

By the time the other employees arrived at ten to eight, Danielle and Ray had managed to start cataloguing and getting the goods processed.

Liss brought a cup of coffee over to Danielle who was logging figures onto the computer.

"You all right, Dan?" she asked as she hopped up on the corner of the desk. Liss worked part time as a hostess and waitress while Danielle played the assistant manager to the assistant manager. Liss held it in awe, while Danielle kept trying to tell her that all it meant was that she was just the gopher, had to make sure they had enough goods and keep reservations straight. Basically, she did the office dirty work. Nothing that glamorous.

"Yeah," Danielle sighed. "The truck may be on it's last leg."

"About time."

Danielle glared at her friend. "I love that truck."

"It looks like it's about to roll over and die."

"It was my first vehicle." Danielle looked down at her coffee.

Liss scoffed, "Yeah, like 7 years ago. And it was ancient then too."

Danielle glared at the screen. She was not in the mood. "Don't hate the truck."

"Yeah, going on to a different subject then!" Liss said.

"Please!"

"Ok then…. so how's you and Randall getting along?" Liss said with a sly grin.

"Uh, back to the truck!"

Liss laughed, "Too late. Come on. How's he doing? By the way, I love his voice! It's so different! Oh, and tell him that I really didn't like his tone."

Danielle looked up in surprise. "What? What did he say?"

"I can't remember all of it, but he had no reason to be rude." Liss said as she took a sip of her own coffee.

Danielle smiled faintly, "That's how he is. He's not much of a people person. You should have heard him when I first met him. He's getting better now though."

"So…. really…how did the two of you meet?"

"Coffee shop. Seems we're both addicted to the stuff. He was grumpy and I don't know why I put up with him, but he has this…I don't know, charisma about him. He can be sweet when he wants to be."

"Aww that's cute…I can't wait to meet him!"Danielle managed to smile, but her heart sank. Randall would never be able to meet any of her friends or her family. _Well, he has met Liss, _she thought wryly, _although they weren't formally introduced in person._ But how was she going to be able to keep Liss away for the next two months? Eventually she was going to run out of excuses and Liss would be left with hurt feelings.

Danielle took a sip from her coffee and listened with half an ear as Liss chattered away as she took her break. She couldn't get over the fact that she had kissed Randall. The actual kiss it's self was no problem. Hell, it had only been a friendly kiss on the forehead, one she'd give again with no problem, but she had forgotten herself and Randall. She had forgotten he that he was a monster and that more then likely had been really disgusted by that. Though he didn't seem to mind some of the touches. The small hugs and friendly touches. In fact he had been retuning some of them. Hugs no. He wasn't that bold. Though he was showing that he was a flirt at times, he always reframed from touching her most of the time. Though that was changing. He would return the gestures. Like last night they had been cleaning up from dinner and while she had been drying the dishes he had passed her and she had felt the lightest brush of fingers against the middle of her shoulders, right on her hidden tattoos. Danielle had tensed and had twisted her head to look at him but he had already turned away and was pushing the chairs in.

Tonight if he said something, she'll apologize and tell him like she had told him when she had let beb slip. That is was a friendly gesture. Which was true. She had even kissed Michael on the forehead on occasion as a friend. But why was it, when he had touched her back last night, she had felt a small case of chills?

XXX

Danielle settled with a sigh in her favorite chair. She had gotten off early so that she could pick up her mail from the post office. She had a mail box, but years ago she had gotten tired of having dead animal juice over her mail so she set it up that her mail was sent to a PO box. Her truck had exactly what Randall had said what was wrong with it. Bare spark plug wires. When she had told him this, he had given her a smug self-satisfied told -you-so look.

Danielle rolled her eyes. Speaking of the little smug little devil, he was currently in the kitchen waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. She had brought a different type of coffee, then her normal New Orleans Blend Coffee and Chicory Roast that she normally drank. This time she had decided on a change, so now the coffee that sat on the kitchen counter was Community Coffee Dark Roast, one that had less chicory. He had been almost like a child at Christmas when she had handed him the new coffee. She shook her head and looked down at the pile of mail in her lap. She felt the dread settle into her stomach before she even opened it. From within her little pile of mail a cream color of an expensive envelope stared up at her. She knew it held something she dreaded every Christmas. An invitation. One that either she or her sister had to attend every year. She heaved a sigh of exasperation and reluctantly picked up the envelope. She pushed her silver-bladed envelope-opener beneath the seal and sliced the paper open. Inside was a note written on even more expensive paper that went something like this:

_Dear Danielle Marie DeMarsh,_

_We've hung the lights and trimmed the tree. All that's missing from our home is you. Celebrate Christmas at the White Oak Plantation Friday, December 21st 5:00 pm - 8:00 PM 17660 George O'Neal Road Baton Rouge, LA Light appetizers and drinks provided Formal attire _

_As the daughter of well renounced patrons, Curtis and Ida DeMarsh we invite you to the annual Board of Directors Christmas Party. We hope that you would grace us with your presence._

_Sincerely Andre Lefevre, head of the Board of Directors _

"Blah, blah, blah," Danielle growled. She tossed the note back onto the mail pile. Her good mood now ruined.

"What now?"

Danielle looked up at Randall. He held her mug out to her. She took it, "Thanks." She took a sip then pulled a face. "How many scoops did you use Randall?"

"Five."

"Eeehh. I should have told you that it only takes two and half." She looked down at her coffee then back up at Randall.

He took a sip then shrugged. "It tastes fine."

Danielle raised an eyebrow, "You're joking?"

"No. It tastes fine to me. What?" Randall grinned at her, "Too strong?"

"A tad."

"Well, no need to let precisely good coffee go to waste." Randall reached his bottom left hand out to take her mug.

Danielle playfully batted his hand away, "Touch my coffee and you're be pulling back a stub. I said it was strong, I didn't say I didn't want it. Though if I'm up all night, you're staying up with me."

"I don't think that would be too bad. So, what was the letter about?" Randall took another sip of his coffee then took the letter that Danielle passed him. His large eyes read it, a small smile on his lips. "Well, what's bad about that?"

Danielle took the letter back, "It says 'formal attire'! Do you know what that means?"

"Enlighten me."

"It means I'd have to stuff myself in some freaking dress! Put make up on! I'll even have to wear girly shoes!" Danielle wailed.

Randall tried his best not to laugh at the look of utter distress on her face. "It can't be that bad."

"You have no idea. Then I'll have to stand for hours and listen to a bunch of old Poule D'eaus and smell cigars and listen to their wives try to play at being Scarlet O'Hara's."

Randall patted her on the head. "There there."

"You're about to lose a hand." Danielle growled.

Randall pulled his hand away, "Whatever you say, _Danielle Marie._" Randall just blinked when a wadded up ball of paper hit him in between the eyes.

XXXX

"Margot, you go. I don't have the formal attire. You own all that stuff. You can take my place, you love stuff like this." Danielle pleaded. After picking up the wadded up invitation that she had hit Randall with, she had picked up the phone and dialed her sister's number. She now had resulted to begging her sister to take her place at the party.

"No, no, I have another engagement that I can't miss that night myself. Besides it's addressed to you and you are closer. And quit lying. I know you still have that dress that I got you. It may be out of style, but it's better then nothing. Besides, it'll make those muddy colored eyes of your actually somewhat pretty." Margot laughed cruelly.

"Why did I bother to call you?"

"Because you have no fashion sense. Wear the green dress and the silver straps. I'll loan you my small pearl earrings and necklace. Thank god you at least got your ears pierced. I have to come toBatonRouge tomorrow anyway. I'll meet you at your restaurant. We'll have lunch. I'll also give you your plane ticket then too. It'-" Margot was cut off when there was the sound of screaming. "God. There he goes again. I got to go Dan. Marshall is screaming about a monster in his closet. See you tomorrow."

XXX

Both Mike and Sulley watched as matching white doors were shredded. Mike had no luck with the little boy, and with a heavy heart he had Tatu call up the girl's door as well and both were being shredded.

Sulley put a hand on Mike's head. "I'm sorry Mike, but it happens. Be glad that this was the only two of the ten doors that had to be shredded. In a two month period that's very good."

"Yeah, but it still hurts pal," Mike said as the shredders powered down and was pushed away. He sighed then took the folder that Tatu handed him and quickly filled out why the doors were shredded then signed his name. "So, Sulley, any luck so far?"

Sulley sighed, "No, but it's narrowing down now." Sulley then smiled at Fungus as he walked past them to his station. "Hey, Fungus."

Fungus shrieked and spun around shaking. He laughed nervously when he saw Mike and Sulley. "Oh, hi Mr. Sullivan, Wazowski." He turned back and picked up his fake glasses that had fake noses and mustaches and put them on covering the dark blue bruise that covered his cheek.


	25. Chapter 25

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Ok, I'm ready for you haters! Come on give me your best shot! Just you try it!**

**Ok got that out of my system. You'll all see what I'm talking about at the end of the chapter. Nothing too bad, but I can imagine that you all can guess what's happing here.**

**Chapter 25**

XXX

Danielle slid in the dark wood and red velvet plush of the booth. She was on her lunch hour and like Margot had said, she had shown up and was now sitting across from her. "Hey Margot."

"Danielle." Margot looked up from her menu. She looked up as Liss came over to take their order. Margot looked up at Liss and smirked, "I'll have the small chief salad, light Italian dressing and a unsweetened tea."

Liss gave her a fake smile, dislike clearly on her face, "Alright," she turned to Danielle, "D?"

"I'll get a small bowl of Bisque with a small chief salad as well, light Ranch, _sweet_ tea." Danielle took Margot's menu and her own and passed it to Liss.

"Are you sure you want to get the Bisque? I mean it looks like you have gained little weight." Margot asked as she eyed Danielle.

Liss rolled her eyes to Danielle with a 'can you believe her? look "I'll have the order out to you shortly." She shook her head as she walked off.

"I have not. I've actually lost some. I do actual work, it'll get burned off." Danielle tried to keep her temper under control.

"Yeah, well…I hope you can still fit in that dress. When was the last time you wore it? Three years ago?" Margot asked as she took in the scenery. "I still can't believe that you work in a restaurant. Isn't it embarrassing?"

"No. This is one of the best and well renowned restaurants in Baton Rouge. I like working here, besides it only until my residency is over." "Danielle said.

"You haven't even graduated. If you even do." Margot sniffed.

"I will. Classes aren't so hard any more."

"Even your math? Cause face it Danielle, you were never good at math."

Danielle flushed though she knew it was true. She was horrible at math. But Randall had been making it easier. He helped break it down better then the professors did or had time for. She smiled then, "I've been getting some help. My marks rose. I'll graduate." She said pleased.

"I'm not sure about that. We'll see won't we?"

Danielle glared at her sister then turned her head to stare out the window in silence. They both sat in silence while they waited for their food, Margot looking over the silverware trying to find something to pick at. When Liss brought their order out, both sisters begin to eat in silence as well.

"Your hair." Margot said suddenly.

Danielle looked up, "What?"

"Your hair. It's different. Longer."

"Oh. Well…I decided to let it grow out again. For awhile at least." Danielle said as she picked up a lock of her hair.

"It looks nice. You do have pretty hair Danielle. You always have. It was a pity that you hacked it off." Margot smirked slightly as she took a sip of her tea.

"I _cut_ it because I became busy with work and college. I don't have as much time to stand in front of a mirror and primp." Danielle frowned.

"I'm busy too, but I till find time to style and do my hair. And put make up on. Tell me, do you still have any make up?" Margot fixed Danielle in a stare.

"Ah…I think?"

"You think? Damn, sis. You're hopeless." Margot rubbed her temples.

"I'm not hopeless."

"Yes, you are. You act like you're allergic to lipstick and eye shadow." Margot rolled her green eyes, "Will it _kill_ you to look nice once in awhile?"

Danielle's eyes flashed hurt, "Why are you so mean to me?" She looked down at her plate and pushed it away.

Margot laughed cruelly, "I'm your older sister. I'm supposed to be. Oh here," Margot reached into her purse and pulled out a white velvet box, "the pearl earrings and necklace is there." she slid it across the dark cherry wood table.

Danielle blinked back tiny tears and picked it up. She opened it and looked down at the white pearl earrings and the pearl pendent that hung from a silver chain. Knowing her sister, they were very much real. "Thanks." Danielle said quietly.

Not noticing or even caring, Margot then pulled out an envelope. "Here's the ticket as well."

Danielle picked it up and looked down at it, suddenly feeling a desire to shove both items back at her sister and telling her that she decided to stay home. She'd prefer more of Randall's teasing, snarkiness and even his mocking all rolled in one then this. "So," Danielle cleared her throat, "how's the kids?"

Margot scoffed. "They're kids. But I ask you, why is it almost every kid believes that there's a monster hiding in their closet?"

Danielle took a sip of her tea to hide her small smile. "I don't know."

"Marshall believes that there was a huge blue furry monster that had scared him every night, while Julie said that a big smelly purple furry hairball like monster had scared her. Now they're saying it's a short round green monster with one eyeball scaring them." Margot rolled her eyes and took a drink of her tea.

Danielle bit her lip, "I see."

Margot picked up her fork and took a bite of her salad. "If I remember right, you even said that you had a monster in your closet."

"Yeah, a crab monster."

She laughed, "Yes, I remember. Dad even made you some stupid stick to shut you up. If monsters are real, how come I never had one?"

_Maybe they thought that you were too mean to scare._ Danielle thought, but she shrugged instead.

"Yeah. Well, I have to get going." Margot stood and a dropped a few bills on the table. "Here, this is for Lissette," she passed Danielle some money. "Oh before I forget, this is an early Christmas present. Wear it to the party." Margot then pulled out a small black satin box and pushed it into to Danielle's hands. "See you Christmas Eve. Bye." With that Margot pulled her coat on and walked out the door.

Danielle was left alone.

She looked up when Liss put her tray on the table and slid into the seat where Margot had been sitting. "She's a piece of work. I can never understand how high and mighty and snotty she became. And the sad thing is, she was raised right in the swamp with you."

"I think she was born that way. By the way, here's your tip." Danielle passed the money to Liss.

Liss took it and opened the bill to reveal one dollar. "Oh, how generous of her," Liss said sarcastically.

Danielle giggled a little, "I know. Here," Danielle reached into her own pocket and pulled out a ten.

"Oh no. Keep it." Liss looked back down at the dollar, "You know, I think I might frame this." she held it up, "Hell, it's more then she normally gives."

Danielle grinned, then opened the box that Margot gave her. "She must have felt generous." Danielle looked down at a large pearl hair clip.

Liss looked over. "Ohh. Nice. You going to wear it to the party?"

Danielle shrugged, "I might." she looked at her watch, "Well, time to clock back in."

XXXX

Danielle walked into the house and straight to her room. She dumped the contents of her shopping bag on her bed and pick up a bottle of liquid makeup and made a face.

"Hey."

Danielle looked over to Randall. He was standing in the doorway. She smiled. "Hey."

Randall took it as an invitation to enter the room and walked over. "How did the lunch with your sister go?"

"Went exactly the way I expected. Randall, do you still want a sibling? I'll give you mine."

Randall grinned, "No thanks. I'm rather used to being an only child now."

"Damn." Danielle sat down on the bed. "You sure?"

"Positive." He picked up the glass bottle that Danielle had been looking at in disgust., "Covergirl?" he read.

"Yeah, make up. Did any of the women monsters wear make up?" Danielle asked as she began to sort the cosmetics.

"Some do. Not as many as you think. Not like I have seen on the TV here." Randall made a face, "Do you humans really cover your faces with that stuff?"

"Some of us do." Danielle sighed and gathered the tubes and bottles up and walked to her bathroom and tossed them on the counter. She walked back and saw that she had forgotten a tube of lipstick.

"Forgot one." Randall handed it out to her.

"Yuck." Danielle made a face again and then shot an annoyed look at Randall when he laughed.

"So you don't wear the stuff?"

"Not if I can help it. I have make up older then my cat." Danielle went to her closet and opened the doors. She then shot a look at Randall. "Do you mind?"

"What?"

Danielle rolled her eyes, "I'm going to change," she then gave him a smirk, "so unless you _want_ to watch, please leave."

Randall's green eyes widened and actually blushing slightly, he bolted from the room, light snickering catching his ears as he pulled the door shut with his tail.

Danielle was still laughing as she changed out of her work uniform. Though she worked mostly back in the offices, her boss, Ray, liked all his employees to wear a strict dress code. Danielle's mostly consisted of black or white palazzo like pants with black, red, or white blouses with always a black vest. It was almost too dressy for Danielle but she dealt with it. At least he wasn't trying to make her wear the make up gunk on her face like some people did. Danielle stopped laughing and growled to herself as she ripped down her favorite clothes that she liked to wear after work. A long white collared baby blue midsleeve cotton shirt and soft gray cotton lounge pants. Why was it Margot and their mom thought she needed to be someone she wasn't? Margot, she could understand. She had always loved the more girly things in life. Their mother now…. that redheaded woman was a mystery. Ida, her mother, had been born and raised in the backwater. Didn't even speak English until, she started school at a late age of 8. Even then the school had only taught the very basics. So why was it she wanted Danielle to be like her yet be more of a social butterfly like her sister? It confused Danielle to no end. Her mother wanted her cake and wanted to eat it too.

Danielle, she just wanted to be herself. Live on the edge of the swamp but not be too ignorant of the city life. She just wanted to make it through the college that she had slowly been plucking away at and become a veterinarian or at least a veterinary technician at the zoo.

She changed and made her way out to the kitchen for a cup of the heavenly drink called coffee. When she got there she saw that a mug had already been set out for her. "Thanks Randall," she mumbled to herself. She poured the black coffee into the mug and reached for the cream and sugar then stopped remembering what her sister said. She looked down at her body. She wasn't fat. She had perfectly normal body, a nice healthy size of 12-14. The only thing that she didn't practically like was her hips. "Do I look fat?" she asked her self quietly. She then shook her head, "No, I'm happy with my body." Her moment of female unsure over she nodded to herself and picked up her mug, but still forgo the cream and sugar. She walked into the living room to relax. Randall was sitting on the couch. He looked up at her with an interesting look on his face, one that Danielle couldn't decipher. She shrugged it off and headed to her brown velvet chair and sank down in it.

"So, what did your sister have to say for you want to push her off onto me?" Randall asked as he turned the TV down.

Danielle twisted so that that she could face him but still be curled up in the chair. "The normal stuff that sisters say. But she did mention more on the 'Monsters in the kids' closet'."

Randall leaned forward excitedly, "What did she say?"

"She told me that Marshall, the boy, believed that there was a huge blue furry monster that had scared him every night, while Julie, the girl, said that there was big smelly purple hairball like monster that had scared her."

Randall thought for a moment trying to remember all the Scarers he knew with those descriptions. He racked his brain, trying to remember the time zones. Suddenly he laughed.

"What?"

Randall was really having a good laugh now. Oh, the irony! He saw Danielle get annoyed but she waited until he was done. "I think I know exactly who those monsters are! The 'smelly' hairball is a monster that worked on the same scare floor as me. His name is Luckey. The other, and this is good, I really think it could be Sullivan!"

"Sullivan?" Danielle tried to remember where she heard that name. "Isn't that the monster rival you had? The one that banished you?"

Randall nodded. He couldn't believe his luck! One of the two children's doors that he'll be going through in two months time, will led him straight onto the very same floor he used to work! The odds had been slim that it would have led him to that very floor, but these odds had worked that way. Now he had to decide if this was a good or bad thing. He then realized something. He looked back over at Danielle. "You said 'had'. Was she using that in past tense?"

Danielle thought about it then nodded. "She had used past. But she also said that the kids are saying that it's a short round green monster with one eyeball that's scaring them now."

Randall stared at her. The only short round green monster with a huge eye was Wazowski. Randall stood up and began to pace. He then stopped and looked over at Danielle. She was watching him intently. "This just gets better and better. That eyeball is possibly none other then Wazowski! Sullivan's little idiot friend." Randall sniggered, "This is just too good! Your old monster is Waternoose, your nephew's monster had been Sullivan, Waternoose's friend, his own pride and joy," this was spoken with extreme sarcasm, "and now both your niece and nephew is being scared by Sullivan's little buddy!" Randall laughed again.

"Hmm, but didn't you also say that this Wazowski was an assistant? Why would he be scaring?" Danielle asked.

Randall stopped laughing and looked thoughtful, "I don't know what happened after I was banished. I don't know if Sullivan and Waternoose made up, though the last I heard from Waternoose was him ordering me to kill them. Even if Sullivan turned Waternoose in, then the factory must still be running. If Wazowski is still around, then so is Sullivan. Where Sullivan goes, Wazowski goes. If they turned Waternoose in and he was arrested, then someone must be running the factory. Maybe they got so desperate for Scarers that they even have Wazowski scaring."

"I'm not sure…is this a good thing?" Danielle asked unsure.

"Yes! If Monsters are still scaring, then Monsters Inc. is still open and all the scare doors are operational. That means I can slip though one of the doors when a monster comes out to scare one of them." he explained enthusiastically.

"Ok, I got that much. How are you going to get in without being seen? Into the house and into the closet?"

"You visit your sister and I'll be…" Randall disappeared.

Danielle let out a surprised yelp then rolled her eyes. She'll never get used to that. She then realized she did a mistake. She had taken her eyes off from where Randall had been standing. "Randall?" she looked around trying to spot his outline. If he moved she could see his shape, but if he stayed still, then she had no idea where he was…like right now. "All right Randall, this isn't funny."

Suddenly her coffee was pulled from her hands. It seemingly floated in front of her. Then a purple hand appeared and in a purposely slow rippling effect, an arm appeared and the color traveled up the arm. Danielle tipped her head back and looked up. Randall was grinning down at her, perched on top of the chair, his long body wrapped around the chair. He handed her coffee back. "I'll be blended and I'll slip in and wait in one of the kids rooms. I can hide and then when Wazowski comes out to scare the kids, I can slip in through the closet."

"Sounds good. Hey Randall?" Since Randall hadn't climbed down from the back of the chair she twisted so that she could see him better.

"Yeah?"

"You have any plans on what you are going to do when you get back?" Danielle asked.

Slight worry and uncertainly crossed his face. "I don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead." Randall climbed down and leaned next to the chair. He crossed his arms but one finger tapped thoughtfully against his lips. His lips were pressed together in a natural baby-pout. "I normally like to have things planned but this is one that I think I'll have to wait and see. I know that until I know _exactly _what happened after I 'left' I can't let myself be seen or draw too much attention to myself."

"And what about the two other monsters? The ones that banished you? Sullivan and Wazowski?"

Randall shook his head. "Again I'm not sure. As much as I'd like to use that 'monster-be-gone stick' on them both…. I don't think that it'd be the smartest thing to do. Maybe later." He smirked at Danielle.

She rolled her eyes and took a drink of coffee.

"So," Randall moved away from the chair. He walked over to the couch and sat down. "You ready for that party of yours?"

Danielle snorted, "No." she said bluntly.

Randall laughed, "Do you even have the formal wear?"

"For your information, I do. It's somewhere in the attic."

"Is that your solution for everything? Hid it away in the attic?"

"You keep on Randall, and I'll redefine the phrase 'Monster in the Closet' to Monster in the Attic'." Danielle threatened. "You'll sleep up there."

Randall just grinned knowing that the threats were empty, "You, know, with this fuss that you're making, I can't wait to see what the big deal is."

Danielle blanched. She had no plan whatsoever for him to see her. Even if she had to climb out the window to do so. She couldn't imagine what he would say. But she had a feeling that it would be more teasing.

XX

Randall sat on the bed that night. He had his bad leg unwrapped as was staring down at it. Swelling was down, but it was still sorer and had more bruising then he and Danielle liked. But as she said, he also had that cracked fibula. But she took him; at least he didn't have any myositis obsidians forming. Randall took a deep breath and slowly stood. Sharp nettled pain shot through his leg, and he hissed lowly. He lifted the leg again, grunting at the jarring movement. He took another breath and lowered the leg and tried putting more weight on it. He bit his tongue in a pained yelp. Slowly he began to walk to the door. He groaned but continued the walk. By the time he reached the door, he was covered in a small sheen of sweat. He stopped and took a break. He was breathing heavily and felt weak in the knees, but at least he hadn't collapsed. He turned back around and made his way back to the bed. By the time he made it, he had gotten used to the pain though it was throbbing horribly now. Randall sank down on the bed and groaned painfully. "Damn it," he snarled. It was taking longer to heal then he cared.

His plans for the smelly humans living down the may have to be pushed back a few days. He had planned on paying them a little visit the night Danielle went to the party. He didn't know if the plan he had formed would work but he sure was going to try. But for said plan to work he had to leave behind the horrible cast. He'd just have to wait and see if he could tolerate the pain of the jarring around that he would be doing. He had been watching the little humans for the past two weeks while Danielle was gone. He had learned their schedule and habits and had seen things he never wanted to see again. Randall shuddered feeling slightly traumatized. He pushed the horrible memories back and picked up the ace bandages and began to rewrap his leg. It was still throbbing but the pain had died off. Strapping the cast back on, he stretched out on the bed as much as he could without hanging over the end. He'll keep working at it, putting more weight on the leg. There was still three days until the party.

XxX

Danielle stared at herself in her bathroom mirror.

She grimaced and made a face. She felt like a clown. True, she wasn't even wearing that much makeup, but she could feel it on her face. She groaned low in her throat. She had spent almost two hours curling her baby fine auburn hair. Hair that absolutely refused to cooperate with her. Finally after hours of work her hair gave up the battle and was a frizzle mess of frizz and curls. She had pulled it back and clipped it with the pearl hair clip that Margot had given her.

She frowned at herself. She really didn't want to go. Suddenly she felt like crying. But she bit her lip. _I will not cry, I will not cry._ She thought. Shifting uncomfortably she pulled the emerald green satin dress up. Why had Margot got her one like this? It was a horrid strapless that left her flecked shoulders bare. There were tiny pearls sewn into the bust and the skirt fell to her knees. She was wearing her sister's earrings and the necklace.

_I look like a girl._

_You are girl_, a tiny voice told her.

_Yeah, but tonight I look it._

The voice laughed cruelly sounding like a mix of Margot and Randall's voices

_Shut up._

Sighing, she glanced at the clock. She had been ready for a few hours, having trying to time it so that she could slip out without Randall seeing her. Picking up the girly shoes she poked her head out her bedroom door, listening. She heard the TV, but nothing else. So she crept down the hallway. She paused right before she entered the living room. Danielle peered around the corner. Randall was not on the couch. She hadn't heard him in his room as she passed or the bathroom. The other place he could be was the kitchen unless he was watching her this moment while he was invisible. She hoped it was the latter. She pressed against the other side of the wall and peered around the counter and into the kitchen. It was then she heard running water. Then she saw him. He was at the sink rinsing a mug out. _I'm a blur. I'm a blur. I'm a green blur that will be across the living room and out the door before he knows what happened._ She waited and watched and when he turned his back, was a blur. Her hand wrapped around the doorknob.

"So…. this is that dress that you complained so much about?"

Danielle froze and let out a groan. _My luck. This is just my luck._ She didn't turn around just yet.

"You even put that makeup on the tattoos? I can still see them."

"Well, they will just have to deal." Danielle still didn't turn.

"So they will. Should make for an interesting party. Can you turn around?"

"No," she said, puffing her lower lip out in a pout in spite of the fact that he couldn't see her.

"Why not?"

"I don't want you to see me like this. You'll just make fun and I'm really stressed enough and I'm not in the mood to play 'retorts' with you."

"I've seen you covered in mud and worse," he pointed out reasonably. "How bad could it possibly be?"

Danielle felt a gentle hand on her bare shoulder.

"Please?"

"Oh, god. That's not fair."

"Life isn't fair."

Seeing as she had no choice since he had seen the back of it, she sighed and turned. Not looking at him, she took this time to go ahead and put her shoes on. _He's being awfully quiet,_ she thought. Still not looking at him she pulled the other shoe on, "What? No mean remark? It is that bad?" her voice cracked. She knew that she wasn't being herself, but she found she couldn't help it. He was just hiding his mocking grins and sinkers until she looked at him then he'd laugh at her. Feeling stressed enough; she felt foreign tears come to her eyes. "Look…I'd really appreciate it if you'd just ether not say a word, or just hurry up and laugh so I can go and get this over with." she finished pulling the shoes on and stood up.

She had thought all kinds of things she'd see on his face. Amusement, laughter, sheer mocking, sardonic disgust, cynicism. Shock was not one of them.

His green eyes were wide. She could see that he _had _been ready to make fun, but it had died off. She didn't know what was worse; the mocking or the silence he held.

Finally she couldn't take it any more. "Please hurry up and get it out of your system."

Finally Randall shook his head. "No. You look…" he stopped when he saw her distress. He was surprised to see her look like she was about to cry. Her eyes did seem brighter with unshed tears. Realizing how stressed she was right now he actually felt bad. In a small hesitation but bold move he reached out and took her hands in his own lower hands and reached his left top arm out and curled a finger around one of the loose curls near her forehead.

Danielle blinked at him, surprised at his boldness. He curled his finger around the escaped curl. He had a soft gentle smile on his face.

"Oh, no, don't cry. You look wonderful."

Danielle widened her eyes. This was unexpected. She felt the heat of a blush rise and before she knew it she was blushing nervously and the pink tinge went from the top of her forehead to her chest. "I-thank you. That does mean more then you know." Danielle then pulled her hands away.

Randall dropped his hand and nodded, "You better get going or you'll be late."

"Yes. I'll see you later tonight." She then grabbed her coat and opened the door and awkwardly walked to her truck, clearly not used to walking in the shoes she was wearing. She got in and within minutes she pulled out of the driveway and took off down the road.

Randall stared out the door and then shook his head. "This is getting more complicated then I thought it would," he muttered to himself.


	26. Chapter 26

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Ok, not sure about this chapter…**

**Chapter 26**

XXX

Randall walked down the road, wearing the long and very wide coat that Danielle had loaned to him. He shivered, trying to warm up. He wasn't too worried about the cold however. He'll get warmed up soon enough.

Like before, he walked along the side of the long road, in the tall grass. There was no moon and thick fog rolled across the ground from the slightly warmer swamp, which played in his favor. It was like the night was being made for this plan of his.

When he wasn't far from the trailer, the long snake-like tongue slipped out of his mouth and tasted the air. He made a face. He was close. Taking a deep breath, he pulled the coat off as well as the cast and bandages. He walked in small circles to work the stiffness out of his leg. When it didn't hurt as much, he blended into his surroundings.

He walked on through the fog and the tall grass until he saw the trailer. Randall made another face and lowered himself to the ground on all eight limbs and slithered through the grass and climbed up on top of the trailer. He pressed against the metal roof and listened. All was quiet. He then slithered down the side and to the front door. He tried the knob and was surprised to find it unlocked. He then shrugged, there wasn't anyone else around for miles other then Danielle, and they all knew that she wouldn't bother them. He opened the screen door then the main door and slipped inside. He stood in the tiny kitchen and took a few deep breaths.

The last time he had been in here, he had a shovel taken to his head, which was still tender in some spots. He gritted his teeth and headed to the same back bedroom that he had been tossed into two months ago. The boy was sleeping on one side of the room, while his mother was on the other. He then climb up the wall to the ceiling and unscrewed the light bulb. He held it carefully and then set to work to unscrewing all the light bulbs in the trailer. All but one in the kitchen. He then held the total of four light bulbs in his hands and one with his foot, leaving one of his left hands free.

Randall flatted his body to the ceiling near the last light. He then began to rumble in the back of his throat. It was low but got louder until it turned into a gurgling growl crossed with a deep throaty croaking rattle. Randall could make a wide variety of noises to something as common as growls and snarls, but could widen the sounds. He could also chirr, chirp and even purr. He could even roar like a certain fur ball, but his throat was not made for it and doing it too much gave him one hell of a sore throat.

The noise didn't take long to wake the humans.

"What ina God's name is ita now?" came the thick backwoods voice of the woman.

"Don't naw Mama." The sleepy voice of the boy answered.

"Well git your butt up and see wat it is!"

The boy groaned after a few minutes Randall heard the sound of a light switch being flicked up and down. "The lights ain't workin'."

There was more said but Randall began to tune them out and focused on what he had to do. He stopped the growl and waited as the boy tried every light, even the mother getting up and doing so. They finally made it to the kitchen and flicked the light on. Randall was near the light, blended, so that they couldn't see him, which meant his green eyes were closed too. He was glad for this cause he was near the bare light. He then threw one bulb at the far wall. He now had three left. The humans looked up as three light bulbs floated in the air.

The humans cried out in fear and Randall smiled faintly as he juggled the light bulbs around then sent a different one flying in different directions. He then reached out and ignoring the slight burn, and making sure they were watching, he made it seem that the bulb seemingly unscrewed itself. The final light in the trailer went out and they were enclosed in darkness. They panicked but he wasn't done. He grabbed the boy by his shirt and lifted the boy up. Randall grunted with slight effort and then tossed the boy so that he went flying into his mother. Both crashed to the floor. The boy then scrambled to get up, grabbing a flashlight and clicked it on. The light swept around. Randall then let out a deep disembodied chuckle and allowed them to see a flash of him in the dim passing light of the flashlight. He opened his eyes wide and grinned at them, showing all his teeth. The light settled on him and he continued to grin. Slowly the grin faded into a sneer and his green eyes narrowed and he lunged at them. They shrieked and cowered.

Randall had lunched at them but at the last minute blended and aimed up flinging himself onto the ceiling above them. He gritted in slight pain as the movement jarred his leg but he continued to move.

Then still invisible to the naked eye, he jumped back down onto solid ground and flung his fists once again, they landed in the wall and left four dents. Suddenly the sight of a shovel in his line of vision had him to freeze.

Randall then broke.

He screamed. All of his fury, all of his rage; all of his emotional torment became one sound that ended with an actual roar.

He dove at them and just the last second; he swung himself around in a tight circle, his long whip-like tail smacking both humans off of their footing. The human woman swung the shovel and the back of it hit him in the same leg. Pain exploded in his leg and he felt his stomach lurch, but his anger and adrenaline pushed most of the pain down.

He snarled and grabbed the shovel bravely from the woman and slammed it into her just enough for her to feel it. The boy scrambled to get the shotgun and Randall saw this. Before the human could cock the gun, Randall reached out and grabbed it and swung it around and repeatedly smashed it into the floor until it broke.

Randall then leapt back on the ceiling then suspended himself from the ceiling, and grabbed everything that wasn't bolted down and threw it at them. He pelted them with food, dishes, silverware, pots and pans, even a heavy iron skillet that cracked the boy in the arm. When he ran out of things to throw he quickly revealed himself in front of their eyes.

"Get out!" He hissed lowly. Then disappeared.

That was all it took. The humans jumped up, bruised and very sore, ran out of the trailer, shrieking to their truck. The rattling thing started up and then sputtered down off the road.

Randall dropped from the ceiling exhausted. He picked up the shovel, and slowly dragged it out of the empty trailer and with a look of fear and disgust and with a mighty heave he threw it into the swamp. Now that the adrenaline slowing, pain exploded in his leg. He collapsed in the dirt, groaning. He curled around trying to look at the leg. He couldn't see much, but it felt hot and swollen. That was not good. He climbed to his feet. Gritting his teeth he slowly made his way to the spot that he had left the coat and cast and bandages. Randall sank down in the cold grass and wrapped the ace bandages around his leg. He then tried to pull on the cast but let out a cry of pain. He tried again and found he couldn't get it on. Slowing standing, he pulled the coat on and little by little made his way back to the house.

Once there he entered the house and hung the coat up. Then slowly and painfully he made his way to the bathroom. He started the shower and as it ran, he unwrapped his leg. In the better light he saw it. He hissed at the damage. It was really bruised, the smooth purple skin red and black and blue, even green in some places. Randall ran a gentle hand down his leg and grunted at the pain the slight touch caused. He moaned as he climbed in the shower and washed at the dirt and dust and the smell from the trailer off of him.

When he was done, he climbed back out and after he had dried off, he replaced the ace bandages, whimpering. He looked over the cast some, and then found that the padding inside could be adjusted. Doing so, he fitted it over his leg and then groaned pulling it back off.

Finding the Aspirin bottle, Randall swallowed four pills and took a bag of ice to his room. As he stretched out on the bed and put the ice on his swollen leg he jumped when her heard the front door open. His eyes widened and he flipped the cover over his leg.

After a few minutes Danielle peeked her head into the room and saw Randall in the bed. She had pulled the hair clip from her hair and the still frizzled mess hung on her shoulder. "Randall? You in bed? What's wrong?"

Randall nodded his head, "Yeah, headache. I have a headache. Thought I'd go to bed early." his voice sounded a bit weak at first but strengthened with his lie.

"Oh. Do you need anything? Have you taken any Aspirin?" Danielle asked as she walked over and looked him over with worry.

"No, I'm fine. I just took a few. So if you don't mind…." Randall stretched out on his back trying not to wince.

"Right. Hope you feel better. I'll see you in the morning." She reached out and brushed her fingers against his sagittal crest.

Randall grabbed her hand and squeezed it slightly. "Thank you..."

Danielle smiled down at him and took her hand back, "You're welcome. Good night Randall."

He smiled at her too. "Good night Danielle."

Danielle then slipped out the bedroom and closed the door, leaving Randall in the darkness. He shifted and groaned pain again.

Xxx

Danielle yawned as she made her way into the kitchen. It was her day off thank god. Her poor frizzed hair was now straight again and her face was scrubbed free from the make up. She looked like her plain normal self. She entered the kitchen and blinked when she didn't see Randall. It was well past 10 and he was normally up by this time. Figuring his headache must have carried over to the morning, she started the coffee and fed her pets. Then deciding to check on Randall, she was surprised to hear a thud.

Danielle hurried to his room and opened the door. Randall was climbing to his feet, but the moment he put his leg down on the floor he cried out in pain.

"Randall! What's wrong?"

He looked up and saw her and let out a string of curses. "Nothing! Just leave me alone!"

Danielle blinked. This sounded a lot like the Randall she had first met. "Come Randall, you're in pain…what's wrong?"

"I just twisted something. Please, leave me alone." He gritted and tried to walk past her but the jarring movement had him letting out a sharper cry of pain.

That did it for Danielle. She grabbed him and pushed him back down on the bed.

"Hey! Stop it! I'll be fine!" He struggled to get up but Danielle pushed him back down.

"No! You are in pain and like any man you; want to brush it off until your leg is lying on the floor. Now, please Randall, let me look!"

"No!" He pushed her off and twisted her so that so that it was he pinning her down. He was standing beside the bed and Danielle was on her knees and her back was bent over backwards so that her upper body was lying back on the bed.

"Randall…whatever happened let me look and take care of it. You want to go home? You won't be able to until you are healed, and if something happened to your leg then please stop being so stubborn." Danielle said softly a slight wheezing rattle coming from her chest.

It was then that Randall realized that he was leaning over her all four hands on her shoulders. Randall eyes widened and he immediately scrambled back and away from her, "I am _so sorry_, I-" he stiffened in pain suddenly.

Danielle quickly stood. "What is wrong with you? You have never acted like this before. Not since we first met. Why now? I thought you trusted me at least enough to care for your injuries."

"I do trust you…it's just…"

"Randall," She said gently, "sit down and let me take care of it. If you did twist something then it could be bad and it may never heal properly. You'll be forever lame." This time when she moved to guide Randall down on the bed, he went, looking extremely ashamed of himself. He scooted his body up on the bed and Danielle sat down on the floor in front of him and took the cast off. Randall groaned at every little movement and jar. She gently unwrapped the leg and hissed at the same time Randall did. The whole leg was black and blue. "Oh, god Randall! What happened?"

Randall just shook his head.

"Well whatever you did this is bad. Right now, I can't do anything. Not until two to three days from now. You could have an intramuscular or an intermuscular contusion, which with the bruising I see; you could have an intermuscular contusion. And lets hope that what it is. I don't know what grade it is so right now I'm going treat it as a Grade 3. So lay back and rest. We'll have to keep it elevated. Did you put ice on it?"

Randall nodded. "Right away."

"Good. But now we can't. Not until tomorrow at the soonest."

XXX

The next day both Randall and Danielle were relived to see that the swelling was down and with much squirming on Randall's part Danielle began to feel and press on the leg. She then told him that he had a high Grade 1 low Grade 2 intermuscular injury. She told him that he would need to keep it iced, compressed, elevated and not put weight on it. He could move around through.

Danielle picked up her keys. She had both volunteer work and work that day. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and she had to go to Florida for the next three days. She looked at Randall. He was in the kitchen doorway. He had his leg pulled up and was looking uncomfortable but not in pain as much. "You going to be ok?"

Randall nodded and wouldn't meet her eyes. He had been like that since yesterday. It was like he was ashamed of something and tried as she might she couldn't get him to talk.

"Randall…."

"I'll be fine. Go on or you'll be late." He looked at her briefly and then looked back down at his coffee.

Danielle sighed and giving up went out the door. She climbed in the truck and started it and backed it out of her driveway. As she drove down the road, she tried to wonder what was wrong with him and how he had managed to hurt his leg again. She drove on down the gravel road but when she reached the LaGide's trailer she was that Mrs. LaGide's brother was hitching the trailer to his pickup. He waved at her and she slowed and then stopped.

He walked over, as Danielle rolled down her window. Out of all the LaGide's, Amos LaGide was the only one she could stand. He grinned at her, showing bad teeth. "Mornin', Miss DeMarsh, haven't seen ya ina whil'. Ya looken' all grown up. How's tat schooln' of ya's comen'?'

"I'm doing fine. What's going on?" Danielle asked as she smiled.

Amos smile faded, "Why, Sis, and teegot spooked by a angry sprit last night. Done all kinda tings."

Danielle paled. "Are they aright?"

"Oui. Tey fine. Shooken' but fine. dey camm peelin' to my house so fast las' night. Talkin' bout some angry spook maken' the misere. Dey went on say'n dat it was some Tainted Kitre."

The man went on but Danielle wasn't listening. That's what happened. Randall must have messed with them last night and though it looked like he did a good job in scaring them, he must have gotten hit in the leg.

"Miss DeMarsh?"

"Huh? Oh yeah?"

"I said, now dat dey movin' on, ya goin' to fine out 'ere alone?"

"Oh. Yes, I'll be fine. Look, I forgot to do something back home. I'm going to have to get going." Danielle said.

"Well den, ya have a lovely day." He tipped his greasy hat and stepped away.

Danielle smiled at him then backed up into the grass and turned around and headed back down the road to her house.

It didn't take her long to park the truck and walk into the house. "Randall?"

"Danielle?"

"Yeah." She waited a few minutes and Randall came slowly down the hallway. She had figured that he had hidden when he had heard the truck. She waited until he was in the living room before she questioned him.

"What's wrong?"

"I should be asking you that! I should be asking what's wrong _with _you!" Danielle hissed

Randall blinked, "I don't-"

"Bullshit!" she cried, "I'm not some stupid human Randall! Tell me the truth…were you at the LaGide's last night? Is that how you injured your leg again?"

Randall knew then he was caught and that there was no point in lying. He lifted his head and finally met her gaze. "Yes, I was. It was something I had been planning for weeks."

"Why?"

Randall then glared at her, "Because of what they did! I couldn't allow them to get by with what they did! They almost killed me! Killed me! They took a primitive tool and slammed it down on my head not once, not twice but four times! On my head! Then my leg. They would have skinned me and dumped me out on the road, looking that that skinned alligator!"

"But _why? _They could have still killed you last night! You clearly hurt your leg in the process of this revenge. They had a shotgun and all. What would I have done if-" Danielle closed her eyes, "Is revenge so important to you that you have to loose all sense? What are you going to do when you get back to Monstropolis? You going to go after the ones that did you wrong?"

Randall opened his mouth then closed it.

"Where will you be then? You'd be in the same position."

"I am not some misbehaving child, Danielle!" snarled Randall dangerously.

"Of course not." She said, seeming to agree with him wholeheartedly, "You're a misbehaving adult!"

Randall blinked. _Point taken_, he thought. Of course, he would never have said that aloud. "I can't help it. I am so SICK of people treating me like I'm nothing! This is one thing I couldn't let those filthy humans get away with! And when it comes to Wazowski and Sullivan's turn…they won't get away with what they did either!"

"Randall…I have never treated you like you were nothing. Does that not count?"

Again Randall was struck speechless. He looked away and then back at her. "Yes. It really means a lot to me. But I can't forget and I can't forgive."

"I'm not asking you to. I can only imagine what you went through. Maybe never even understanding it all, but is this revenge…is it really worth it? 'You cannot change the facts of the past but you can change the meaning of the past.' Someone said that, I couldn't remember who." Danielle paused then walked up to him still holding his gaze. "We are friends right?"

Randall nodded. "Most definitely."

"Good. Cause with the risk of this sounding really clichéd, I have to say, that as a friend I care about you, hell, I _worry _about you when I'm gone all day. I worry that you won't go do something as _stupid_ as you did last night!" Danielle then shoved him. "It was really _stupid_ Randall."

She reached out to shove him again but he stopped her. "Danielle…I told you…I did t for me, for my peace of mind…the humans are fine. Bruised, scared, but alive as you clearly found out. I did it for me and…. for you."

That was something she wasn't expecting. "What?"

He watched her calmly, though a small smile played around his lips. "Think of it as a Christmas present. I take that they haven't came back?"

"No, a family member is pulling the trailer away as we speak. But Randall…"

"No. Think about it. I got my revenge; you got rid of some nasty neighbors. No more siphoned gas out of your truck, no more dead animals on the side of the road and in the mailbox. "

Danielle laughed then. "You sure know how to sweet talk. But I'm still not that happy with you."

"Can't expect any less."

"Good." Danielle stared at him, "You know, I don't know if I should smack you or hug you."

Randall snorted. "You can do either but remember, I'm clearly good at revenge if you smack me."

"Then it'd better be a hug!" With that she wrapped her arms around him.

"I thought you were mad at me." Randall said as he tensed slightly.

"Not mad, just not happy with you." She said as he held him.

"Is there a difference?"

"Yes. If I were mad then I wouldn't hug you. Besides it's nice to hug someone every now and then."

"I wouldn't know," said Randall grimly, "It's been awhile.

"That's it, Randall! Hug me!"

"WHAT!"

"Hug me! It'll make you feel better, I promise."

Randall pulled his head back looking at the girl that still had her arms around his middle. He looked at her as though she were quite insane. To his surprise he found that he _wanted_ to hug her... but could he? Was he ready? Oh, how he wanted to...

"Don't look at me like that! I'm being perfectly honest! You need to learn to hug–!"

Danielle was cut short when Randall momentarily abandoned his impersonal barriers and enveloped her in his arms.

"You were right," he whispered into her ear, "I _do _feel better."


	27. Chapter 27

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Aww…I think I like this chapter…**

**Chapter 27**

XXX

Danielle had a few hours to go before she had to leave for the next three days. She used her time very wisely. She was wrapping gifts. She was sitting in the middle of the floor almost buried up to her neck on toys and other things. Bread and Butter were not making things easier by playing with the ribbons and lying on the items. The adult's presents were already wrapped and she had six items left to go. Toys for her niece and nephew. Trains for Marshall and horses for Julie.

"I could use a hand, here!" Danielle grumbled in Randall's general direction.

"You have two, I believe." he answered smartly.

"And you have _four_! Get over here! I have to leave soon." Danielle said as she fought with red and white-stripped paper.

Sniggering, Randall settled down to help her and soon became tangled in ribbon himself. He wasn't laughing anymore as tape became stuck to him.

It was Danielle now laughing at him as he tried to wrap a toy.

"Why did you wait until now to do this?" He growled as he tucked the corners of the paper, ripping it in the processes.

"I'm a last minute shopper. I've always have been. I told you before I'm a procrastinator. Besides, it's amusing to watch you with that." Danielle laughed.

"I'm not here to amuse you."

"Yet I am?" Danielle shot back.

"Of course." Randall help up a toy that looked like a cross between a gremlin and an owl. "What is this?"

"A Furby." Danielle giggled as she wrapped a white one.

"A what?" Randall stared askance at the brown-striped Furby that he held up by its ears like it was contagious.

"Think of it as an interactive pet." Danielle tried to hold back her laughs as Randall looked at the toy in disgust.

"Why would children want one of these?" Randall dropped it as it batted its eyelashes at him and flapped its ears. He began to wrap it as fast as possible.

"I don't know. It was a hot toy a few years ago, and I got one for Julie every year since they came out. That is Marshall's first one." Danielle folded the corner of her last package and reached through the mess of ribbons and paper for the tape. Instead her fingers closed around something warm and scaly. It twitched at the contact and Randall jumped and looked at her.

"That's my tail."

Danielle snatched her hand back and blushed like mad. "I thought I was reaching for the tape."

Randall smirked and lifted his tail. The tip of his long, turquoise tail was through the hole in the roll of tape. "You were. You just so happened to grab my tail in the process." His smirk turned into a grin as he daggled the tape. "Go on. Take it."

Danielle hesitated but reached out and grabbed it. Randall's tail dropped back down into the mess of ribbon and paper out of sight while Randall sniggered at her. She finished taping the corner down. "Done!"

"Good."

Danielle then stood up and began to gather the rolls of wrapping paper and tape, scissors and ribbon, while Randall fought to untangle himself. Danielle put the stuff in her closet for the time being; when she came back she took one look at Randall and burst out laughing.

"Not helping!" Randall growled. He was in a tangled mess of ribbon and bows.

"H-h-how did you do that Randall?" Danielle gasped out between her wheezing gasps and laughs.

"If I knew, I wouldn't be like this!" Randall struggled with the ribbons but they didn't budge an inch. "Evil stuff!" He kept struggling but it made it worse. Finally he gave up and glared at Danielle while she was laughing. "I could use a hand here."

"You have four, I believe." she answered smartly.

He just glared at her.

"All right, all right. Let me get the scissors." Danielle said while sniggering. She hurried to the nearest pair of scissors and then kneeled down beside Randall and began to snip him lose. Finally when he was loose and he stood up fast. Danielle gathered up the ribbon clippings and stood as well. Randall looked thoroughly humiliated and annoyed. She smiled faintly as he glared at her.

"I don't want to hear another word about that," he growled.

Danielle just smiled sweetly and carried the ribbon pieces and bows to the trash. As she did she looked down at the ribbons and bows in her arms and noticed a new one. A mischievous smile on her lips, she pulled it out and threw the ruined ribbon away. As she walked back to the living room she peeled the paper off and hid it behind her back. Randall had his back turned as Danielle walked up behind him. She tapped his shoulder and he turned.

She smiled and stuck the sticky red bow on his forehead. "Cheer up, Mr. Scrooge…it's Christmas." Then with just slight hesitation she pressed a small peck to his cheek.

His eyes widened…"Wh...what was that for?" he asked when Danielle stepped back.

She blushed lightly but still smiled, "It's Christmas, you need to cheer up and have a bit of fun."

"Ah."

Danielle's smile grew when he didn't realize that she had stuck to bow on his forehead. The peck on the cheek had distracted him.

"What?" Randall then realized that something was on his forehead. He reached up and pulled it off. It was a shiny red bow. "Not funny."

Danielle laughed, "I thought it was." She then began to gather the presents up so she could shove them in duffel bags. She knew how rough the airlines were, so she never bought things that broke. She looked down at the gifts both she and Randall had wrapped. Her smile grew at the sight of her bad wrapping and Randall's horrible wrapping.

"They look terrible." Randall said bitterly was he looked at the gifts.

"No worse then mine, besides, it gives them…character." Danielle laughed as she placed them in the duffel bags.

"If you say so." Randall watched her put the gifts then nylon bags then looked down at the red bow in his hands. A smirk crossed his face as he stepped up closer to Danielle. When she finished she stood and turned. "Ok. Now-" she was cut off when Randall firmly pressed the red bow in the middle of her own forehead.

"There. You're right…it _is _funny." Randall sniggered.

"You're hilarious." Danielle as she pulled the bow off her forehead though she was smiling.

"I know. So what time do you leave?" Randall asked.

"The plane leaves at 6:30. The flight isn't really that long, but customs will be packed, so in fact I'm going to leave in about an hour." Danielle picked up the two duffel bags and carried them out to the truck.

The next half hour was spent with last minute preparations as she made sure she had everything. Randall couldn't do much due to his leg that he had injured again. He still couldn't put too much weight on it. He stood in the kitchen door way and watched as she carried her own bag out to the truck. She came back in and sighed. "That's all ready. Ok Randall, if there is any emergency, don't hesitate to call. I left the number on the refrigerator. And I want you to follow the RICE rule. Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate. Please do them. They will help and when I get back we'll start working with strengthening the calf muscles."

"Danielle…I'm a big boy, I'll be fine." Randall shook his head.

"Yeah since the LaGide's are gone. What more mischief can you get in to?" Danielle said looking at him.

"You never know with me." he winked.

"Do I need to stuff you in a duffel bag and take you with me so I can keep an eye on you?" Danielle looked at him suspiciously.

"I'll be good." he grinned, "As good as I can be."

"And can you be good?"

"I can be _very_ good." a small wicked smile on his face.

"Randall!" Danielle blushed, though she laughed faintly.

Randall busted up laughing, "I promise I'll be good."

"Good." Danielle looked down at her watch. Still enough time. "Ok. Randall sit on the couch…I have something for you."

Randall blinked at that. Danielle giggled softly at his surprised look. "Go on."

Randall then shrugged, and made his way over to the couch. Danielle walked over to the Christmas tree and dropped to her knees and crawled under the tree to reach for the package that she had hidden back there a few days ago. She pulled out a long gift wrapped present that had red poinsettias that was outlined in shiny gold. A purple ribbon topped it. When she picked it up and carried it over to Randall she saw him perk up with excitement.

"Here you go." She handed the heavy gift to him.

"Thank you." Though he was outwardly calm, Danielle could see the excited delight dancing in his green eyes. "You didn't have to- I have nothing to give you in return." He glanced at her, confused.

Danielle smiled. "I know, but I wanted to and it doesn't matter, that's not the point of Christmas." She was acting almost as if she were an excited child. Her eyes were bright as she sat down next to Randall on the couch. "Well, c'mon. What're you waiting for? Open up!"

"You are truly enjoying this," he said, surprised.

"Well, yeah," she exclaimed. "It's the best part of Christmas."

"Giving gifts? Not receiving them?"

"That's fun, too, but this is better." She shook her head slightly and pointed at the gift. "Are you going to open it?"

Randall looked back down at the present in his hands. Feeling a small tightness in his chest he pulled the ribbon off and carefully ripped through the paper.

He looked down at the gift, unable to form words. There sitting righting a row in a red velvet box was bags of coffee. He read the names. Breakfast Blend Supreme, Holiday Jazz, Hazelnut, Pecan Praline, French Vanilla, French Roast, Evangeline Blend, Espresso, Louisiana Blend, and Brazil Santos Bourbon. He looked over at Danielle.

Danielle smiled. "I wanted to get you something different from our usual...but I didn't know what flavors you'd like...that there is all yours.""It's…prefect…you know what I like," he said. "Thank you so much!"

Danielle smiled, "I'm glad." her smile faded some. "I really don't want to leave you alone here. Especially on Christmas."

"I'll be fine. Trust me. You go on and have as much fun as you can with your nutty family." Randall found that he was very close to reaching out and touching her cheek, but kept himself in check.

Danielle made a soft noise that could've passed for a soft laugh. "All right." She stood and walked over and took her coat off the hook and pulled it on. "All right. I have to go. Try not to OD on the coffee." she turned around and jumped slightly to see Randall standing behind her. "Yes?"

Randall looked away and then back at her. "Uh…"

Danielle was surprised to see him look very unsure. "Yes?" she asked gently.

"I…uh…want to thank you…"suddenly in sudden an surprisingly bold move Randall hugged her. It was a bit awkward, but he relaxed some when Danielle hugged him back after her shock.

It was Danielle that pulled back. She smiled at him. "You are very welcome Randall Boggs. You take care and I'll see you in a few days."

Randall nodded, "You take care as well…"

Danielle patted his shoulder as she bit her lip, "Bye," she whispered and slipped out the door.

"Bye." Randall's voice was even softer.

XXX

Danielle drove down the highway wiping a tear away. _Oh grow up girl! It's only for a few days! If your crying now…what are you going to do when he really leaves? Bawl like a baby?_

Danielle felt annoyed at herself as she gripped the steering wheel. _But at least he's softening. He's never hugged me on his own. That's a very good sign._ She then smiled to herself when she remembered the gift that she had given him. He had looked so surprised and grateful that it was almost sad. When was the last time anyone even thought to give him an actual gift? From what he had told her, a very long time. And when he had said that he had had nothing to give her in return. He had already. He had given her the honor of knowing such an amazing and unique…person.

XXX

Randall stared out the window long after the truck disappeared from view. He sighed and looked over at the lit Christmas tree then down at the packages of coffee that Danielle had gotten him. What was he supposed to do now?

Randall slowly limped over to the coffee and looked at the names again then picked up the Louisiana Blend and gathered the wrapping paper up, but laid the purple ribbon on the box and slowly made his way to the kitchen. He threw the paper away and then set about making a pot of coffee.

As he waited for the coffee, he wondered about his reaction from the fleeting moment when he wanted to touch her to finally pushing back his nervousness and finally acted upon the urge to at least hug her. It wasn't much but the surprise and even the simple joy in her eyes had been worth it. He had to admit he liked her… days before when she had asked him if he had thought humans were ugly he hadn't answered her. What could he really say? To him they weren't ugly. Strange looking in a plain sort of way. Most of them looked alike. But two months and he was starting to see the differences that humans had. His human wasn't ugly. She wasn't one of the so-called models that he had seen on the TV. No, she looked real, acted real. He smiled faintly as he remembered the big fuss she had made when she had to wear that dress. It had been a shock. He had only seen her in jeans and sweaters and shirts. She was rather pretty in that green dress, the rich green making her brown hazel eyes take on a slightly green tint. He hadn't lied when he had said that she looked better in green. It was a color that looked good on her. It made her hair seem even redder and he knew he had developed a strange fascination with her hair, as he was pleased that she had begun to let it grow out. It made her face look softer and gentle. He then shook himself out of his thoughts. He laughed to himself. He hadn't daydreamed about a female in years and when he finally did, it was about a human. Go figure.

But, he realized as he poured the coffee into his mug and breathed deep the rich superb aroma, he didn't mind at all. It was rather nice. Slowly he carried the cup to the living room and settled down on the couch. Bread was standing at the door. She whined once then came over to Randall and hopped up on the couch and laid down beside him. The old dog licked his hand once after he petted her head then laid her head down on his hip. He sipped the coffee and closed his eyes in bliss. The taste exploded him his mouth. The rich strong coffee had a wonderful dark-roasted blend that had a fruity bitterness that was rich with the flavor of roasted nuts. He couldn't help the small purr of satisfaction. When he opened his eyes he was surprised to see Butter sitting on the coffee table staring at him. "What? It's good coffee. You think you cats are the only ones that can purr?" he asked as the cat just stared at him. "It's Christmas… care to call a truce?" He reached out a hand to the cat.

The huge yellow cat looked at him then at the hand.

Then surprising him the cat jumped down and then jumped up on the couch beside Bread and laid down. Randall then ran a hand down the back of the cat. Butter just curled up tighter and began to purr.

Randall laid back and closed his eyes as he sipped the coffee again.

XXX

Christmas Eve and snow was falling gently all over Monstropolis. Christmas classics played over a small radio, accented by Jester's male soprano singing along with the songs. The Scream Extractor was lowered close to the ground so that Jester could lie on his back and work on the underside of the machine. He was doing some rewiring while he waited for Frungus. His tail thumped in time to the music when the warehouse's door opened and a blast of cold air hit him. "Shut that door! Was you born in a barn?" Jester called out.

"S-sorry." came the timid reply of the small monster.

Jester slid out from the machine and stood. He popped his long spine then turned to look down at Frungus. The little monster was bundled up in all kinds of scarves and such. A mean smile on his face, Jester reached out and tugged one green scarf and the monster went spinning and fell down on his rump surprised. Jester burst out laughing and reached down and pulled another scarf and this time Frungus went rolling. He came to a stop when something cold pressed down on his back, painfully smashing the fin down. He looked back and saw that the tall monster had stopped him with his foot. All the red eyes were looked down at him, a nasty smile on the monster's lips. "You are late."

"I-I-I couldn't ge-get away s-sooner!" Frungus stuttered out in fear. He had never really been scared of Randall, just nervous, but this monster he was scared of.

"Can't you talk without that stupid stutter?" Jester asked as he laughed at the little monster.

"Y-y-y-yes."

"N-n-n-no you can't." Jester mocked then leaned down and picked Frungus up roughly by his fin. Fungus yelped in pan. "Now get busy!" Jester shoved Fungus toward the machine. Fungus picked up wire clippers and pieces of wires and reached inside of the opened panel.

"So Frungus, how are things working over at MI?" Jester asked as he lay back down to finish underneath the machine.

"I-it's good. So good that this is the first Christmas that nobody that wants to has to work. The only ones working major holidays are volunteers. This hasn't happened in over fiv-"

"Yeah, yeah. So the factory is doing great. Huh, never would have thought an idiot like Sullivan could run something as big as that place." Jester replaced a fuse. "Oh yeah, I've been meaning to ask. Boggs was your superior. Do you know what really happened to him?"

"H-he fell back into an active door and the door got destroyed." Fungus said then yelped when a fist collided with the side of his face knocking his glass askew. He straightened them and looked down.

Jester was grinning nastily up at him, though his red eyes were narrowed. "I don't think that's what happen. Not a monster as light on his feet as Boggs. The boy moved like he was a dancer. He was never clumsily. He would have never _fallen_ into a door. What happened?"

Fungus shook his head and mumbled, "Th-that's what happened."

Jester slid out from the machine and towered over the red jellybean monster. Fungus backed up, letting out a squeak. Jester just grinned and another fist collided against the other side of Fungus' head. Then one came up into the little monsters soft belly. Fungus was gagging by this time then let out a yelp as he was yanked up into the air. The light blue sadistic monster had grabbed him by one of his legs and was holding him up in the air. "What really happened?" Jester said again. His voice was calm and soft, making the abuse seem all the worse. Jester's month split into the nasty grin again and pretended to drop Fungus. The little monster shrieked and then blurted out. "Wazowski and Sullivan threw Randall through a door!"

Jester still dropped Fungus. He landed in a bruised and sore heap. Jester looked down at him. "They did did they? Very interesting. Is there anything else?"

Fungus whimpered. "Yes. I think they're trying to find him."

Jester grinned, "Even better…now get back to work!"

Fungus picked himself up and limped over to the panel. Yes, Randall may had threatened and yelled, but he had never hit him. If he had to work on the Scream Extractor again, he'd prefer it be with Randall, not someone like Jester.

Jester leaned against the wall watching Frungus shake as he worked on the side of the machine. This was very interesting. Waternoose's Golden Boy had broken the law and banished a monster illegally then turned around and turned his boss and friend in. And now Sullivan and his pal Wazowski were looking for Randall. This was very interesting. It made Jester glad that he had returned to Monstropolis after he had gotten that call from Waternoose. Yes, this was becoming a very interesting year.

XXX

Danielle finally slipped away from her family. The kids had finished opening their gifts and were now out somewhere playing with their toys. She had snagged the cordless phone and was now walking down the beach house's steps. While her family talked she had slipped away. She headed to the nearest sand dune and sat down burying her bare toes into the warm sand. Danielle held the phone for a few minutes just starting out at the ocean. It was a beautiful sunny day, a warm 73 degrees. The smell of the salt air was refreshing from the heavy scent of the swamp. She had to admit she did like the sound of the ocean, the sound of the waves crashing to shore. The blue sky was scattered with wispy clouds and a light breeze. She then looked down at the phone and began to dial her number. It rang three times then her answering machine came on. She waited patiently. Finally she heard the click, "Randall? It's me Danielle."

The phone was then picked up. "Danielle."

Danielle smiled, "Yep, I'm calling to wish you a Bonne Christmeusse. Merry Christmas Randall!"

Randall laughed lightly, "Merry Christmas to you too! So how's it over there?"

"Crazy. The kids are running amuck and the family is inside talking. I was finally able to escape. You doing fine?"

"Oh yes. It's fine here." Randall paused, "I love the coffee you got me."

"I'm glad. What kind did you try yet?"

"I had some of the Louisiana Blend last night and I'm drinking the Breakfast Blend Supreme now."

Danielle laughed softly, "Remember what I said yesterday? Don't go ODing on the coffee now."

"I promise. I'll control myself." Randall laughed as well.

They talked for a bit longer until Danielle realized that her mother was calling for her. Danielle sighed, "I'm sorry Randall…I have to go. I'll see you Thursday night. Bye and Merry Christmas Randall."

"Merry Christmas Danielle."

They both hung up with a sigh and while one was pestered about her life and what she should be doing and what she should have done, the other set back on his stool and finished his coffee in silence.


	28. Chapter 28

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Aww…I think I like this chapter…and uh oh.**

**Chapter 28**

XXX

Danielle pulled up to her house. The sun was just setting, framing the small house in light. She was so glad to be back home. She may have loved the ocean, but her family was nuts. She climbed out of the truck, her duffle bag over her shoulder. Carrying it up the house, she quickly unlocked the door and walked into the living room. A happy bark greeted her and Bread danced around her feet. Danielle dropped the bag and kneeled down petting the happy canine. "Hey Bread…you miss me?" The dog just whined and wiggled, rolling over on her back, her tongue lolling out. Danielle laughed and rubbed the dog's belly. "Yep, I missed you too."

"What? No greeting for me?"

Danielle looked up. Randall was leaning against the kitchen doorway. Her smile widened, "You jealous? Are you wanting your tummy rubbed too?" She giggled.

The skin under Randall's scales flushed a darker purple, but he did grin at her, "I just may take you up on that later."

Danielle laughed though her own cheeks colored. She rubbed Bread's belly one more time then stood up. "I'll be happy to oblige." She winked at him.

He flushed deeper, but laughed as well. "So did you have fun?"

Danielle picked up her bag and shrugged. "As much as I expected. It was the same as last year. And the year before that. And the year before that…" she walked down the hall to her bedroom, Randall following with a slight limp. She walked into her bedroom and flicked the light on. Tossing her bag on the bed she sat down. Looking over at Randall that hung in the doorway, she smiled. "I see that the house is still standing and you are in one piece…I'm glad."

Randall folded his arms, "You didn't trust me."

"I'm joking Randall. I do trust you. So what did you do for the past few days?" Danielle asked.

"I relaxed. It was rather nice to spend a quiet holiday without the Noose breathing down my neck. Although it was rather lonely, even with your pets." Randall said and then realized he had said the wrong thing.

Danielle winced, "I'm sorry you were alone…"

Randall shook his head fiercely, "No. I told you don't worry about it. It was nice."

Danielle shook her head, still feeling slight guilt, but dropped it. "Well, if it's all the same I really did miss you."

Randall's mouth dropped a little. Not enough for her to see, but enough to know at she had taken him by surprise. He shook it off and crossed his arms, smirking. "Really? Eh, I'm that type of irresistible guy."

Danielle rolled her eyes, "That's one thing I didn't miss…. your ego." she stood up and shook her head.

"I told you-"

"You're not egotistical, just competitive…I know." Danielle closed the distance between them. She gave him a small playful smile as she poke him in his scaly chest, "You're both Mister."

Randall grabbed her hand suddenly and met her eyes, "I missed you too you know."

Danielle's jaw dropped. She quickly shut it then blushed. _What is wrong with me?_ She thought. _I'm blushing like some silly schoolgirl._ "Really?"

Randall nodded and gently rubbed the back of her hand with one of his big thumbs. He then let go of her hand.

"Y-yeah. Heh, thank you." Danielle swallowed nervously. She stepped back and looked away then quickly back at him. "So if you want, why don't you make some coffee? While it's cooking, I'll put my stuff away and then I'll take a look at that leg." She glanced down at the leg and then back up at him.

Randall watched her for a few minutes then nodded. "I'll do that then." he stepped back and then turned and walked out the door.

Danielle watched him go. She noticed that he was walking on the leg again though there was only a slight limp. She walked back to her bag and began to pull out her clothes and the gifts she had gotten. All almost useless. But it was the thought that counted. Though she carefully unwrapped the beautiful earth toned ironstone china mug that her father had gotten her. As she put her things away, she couldn't help but think on the way that Randall had seized her hand and then rubbed the back of it. Even openly said that he had missed her. She was thrilled that he had, but she was so confused. Why was he being open that way? She couldn't really figure it out. If he had been human she would have long ago had figured out that he had been flirting, maybe even liked her, but he wasn't human. Humanlike yes…but he couldn't like her…not…feeling too confused and tired she pushed her thoughts aside and she quickly tossed the clothes in her hamper. Picking up the mug she carried it to the kitchen.

XX

Randall watched the coffee slowly drip into the glass pot. He knew what prompted him to grab her hand and even caress the back of her hand. He had missed her. Missed her more then he had thought he would. He had done it and not even thought how she would have acted. A small smile flickered across his lips. Surprised for one. Her eyes had gone wide and her jaw had dropped. She had recovered quickly enough. He had then seen her blush. And he had to admit that she was rather…cute when she did. Then shaking his head, he sighed. What was wrong with him? She was a human for God sake!

But…did that really even matter anymore?

He didn't know. He didn't think so. Human or not. They were basically the same. No longer did he believe that humans were "animals" but just like monsters except for appearance. They had the same sensitivities, hopes, and fears. Other then looks and a few special abilities with some monsters, they were the same. They weren't animals at all. Danielle wasn't an animal. And that changed things.

Should he try? Should he throw all that he had believed about humans away? And try something completely new? He had missed her. That counted. He _was_ starting to find her attractive. That counted. He had already acknowledged some affection for her. "Hmmm." he hummed thoughtfully to himself, his eyes half lidded as he watched the coffee.

"Enjoying the show?"

Randall blinked. He stood up and looked at Danielle. She was walking into the kitchen hold a new mug. "What?"

"You were watching the coffee pot very intently…is the show interesting?" Danielle laughed as she set the mug on the counter.

"Very. It's sure more interesting then what's on that TV right now." Randall deadpanned though there was a faint smile on his lips. He looked at the coffee mug that she had set on the counter. Picking it he was surprised at how heavy it was. "Very nice. I take you got it for Christmas?" he turned it in his hands. It was made out of very thick china and was a chocolate brown with black designs in it.

"Yep. My father got that for me. It's supposed to be unbreakable." She missed the glint in his eyes.

"Really?" He dropped the mug. "I dropped it!"

Danielle's eye went wide, "Randall!"

He caught it midair. "No…wait…I didn't. Here." he handed her the mug back to Danielle.

Danielle snatched it away glaring at him looking shaken and embarrassed, "You ass."

Now feeling bad, he realized he did a mistake, "Look Danielle…" he then saw a small smile.

"It's ok. It really is unbreakable. Marshall got a hold of it and threw it onto the floor. Didn't scratch it. But I wouldn't want to press my luck with it."

"You…"

She reached out and tapped his nose. "Hey, you ain't the only one with a jokester bone in your body. I have my moments too." Danielle said as she laughed softy at him. She reached out and picked up the coffee pot that was finally finished filling up. She poured the coffee into the new mug and then into Randall's. She looked back at Randall who was just staring at her.

He then crossed his arms though he smiled. "I have to admit that was good."

"Thank you. Now grab your coffee, Joker, and afterward I'll look at that leg." Danielle picked up her mug and walked into the living room with Randall following carrying his own mug. She settled into her chair and took a sip of the coffee; smiled when she noticed that it was one of the flavors she had gotten him. She took another sip. French Vanilla. "So, really what did you do while I was gone?"

Randall had settled onto the couch. He looked down at the photo album that he had drug out from her study. It was thicker then the one he had first looked through. "I looked though this."

Danielle rose up a bit looking over at it. She sank back down in her chair and took a drink of the coffee. "Oh. That one. Find anything interesting in there?"

"As a matter fact I did. I would like to ask about these two photos." When Randall had finished looking through the album he had found at the very back of this album two loose photographs. Both had Danielle. One was when she was clearly younger, maybe in her late teens. Her hair was much longer and she was with a slender brown-eyed blond man in glasses. His arm was wrapped loosely around Danielle's shoulder. In the second, a different and much taller dark haired human stood next to Danielle. Her hair was now cut shoulder length. He had a smug expression and his hand was placed casually on Danielle's neck, fingers curled around the back of her neck, thumb resting at the hollow of her throat.

These photographs had interested Randall very much. He held them up. "Who were they?"

Danielle stood up and walked over and sat down beside him. She put her coffee mug down on the coffee table and took the photos from him. Her face fell into a look of annoyance. "Oh. Them. Mistakes that's who they were."

Randall grinned, "Old boyfriends huh?"

"Yeah. I don't know why still have them. I think to remind me how much of an idiot I was."

Randall waited. When she didn't say anything he shifted. "Well?"

Danielle had picked her coffee back up she took a sip. "Well what?"

Randall half closed one eye while leaving the other open, his way of doing the eyebrow raise. He looked around, "Well, it seems that I have no prior engagement."

Shaking her head she held up the first photo of the blond man with the glasses. "Brian Fullilove. First boyfriend. We went out for two years. Broke up some time after we went to Mardi Gras for the first time." Danielle then let the photo flutter from her fingers. She held up the next one, the one with the dark hair. "Sean Evans…two months. Really didn't work out."

"Why didn't it work out?" he asked as he took a drink of his coffee.

"You don't want to know, Randall." Danielle said as she picked the photo she had dropped up and slid both into the album.

Randall nodded, "I'm curious as to why."

"Fine." Danielle stood up and picked coffee cup up and turned her back and began to walk to the kitchen. "He wanted the physical part of the relationship. He only wanted the sex, Randall." she smiled sardonically to herself when she heard Randall choke on his coffee. She finished her own coffee then placed the mug in the sink. She then walked back out to the living room.

Randall had recovered and was now looking at her with a slight shocked look. She knew she had gotten him good. She never talked like that in front of him. "Now, please, I didn't come home to talk about old boyfriends."

Randall nodded. "Fair enough."

"Now. Let's take a look at that leg." She crossed the room and sat down on the floor in front of him. "Have you been talking care of this?" she asked as she unstrapped the pink cast and unwrapped the ace bandages. She looked down at the leg. The bruising was down as was the swelling. "Does this hurt?" she rubbed on the calf some.

Randall shook his head watching her.

"Really? Good. Now how about this?" She did it again only harder.

Randall groaned, "Slight there. Not too much. Just a discomfort."

"Hmm. Well, it seems despite the trauma, you are healing very nice. I'm going to try something. Tell me if it hurts too much." Danielle said as she looked up at him.

He nodded, "Go ahead."

Danielle then bent his leg at the knee. The pull caused his calf muscle to tighten. He groaned, then she did it again, again he groaned, but by the fifth time it didn't hurt. "Now does that hurt?"

"No. Not at all."

"Very good," She did it a few more times, "We'll do this every night, loosen the muscle, and then I'll move on to massages."

"I can't wait." Randall winked at her.

Danielle choked back small laugh though she smiled, "I'm sure you can't."

XXXXX

"Say what!" Jester exclaimed.

"I said. Don't do anything." Waternoose said glaring up at the tall monster. "What you told me is very interesting news, but I don't want to do anything until I am sure that they have found him. Let them do the dirty work in finding him."

"Whatever you say." Jester walked back over to the machine.

"I mean it Bobbins! You do nothing!"

"I won't. I mean it's no concern of mine. If they do find him and if he is still alive that he just may rat you out. But, hey, like I said. No concern of mine." Jester said as he shoved Fungus over. "I sure hope you can still write checks while sitting in prison."

"No. Because Fungus here with keep an eye on them at the factory. When they find the door, Fungus will get you into the factory. And you will go through the door before them and see if Boggs is dead." Waternoose said as he paced back and forth.

"And if he isn't?" Jester looked up his face expressionless.

"Then you will kill him." Waternoose said bluntly, stopping in front of him.

Jester shook his head, "Uh uh. I'm not an assassin. You want one… hire one. I'm just working on this machine."

"You killed before. What will make this any different? Besides you'll get paid for it this time." Waternoose said as he glanced at Jester.

Jester was quiet for a few minutes, "I haven't even got paid for fixing the SE. If you want me to kill Boggs, even if he is dead, that means crossing over to the Human World…then you will pay me up front. Now."

"Half now, half when you bring me proof that Boggs is dead."

Jester stared at Waternoose. Then all his red eyes blinked. "Done. When they find where they dumped him, I'll go and find him. If he is dead, I'll bring back his head. If he is alive…I will bring back his head." Jester's face then spilt into a grin.

XXX

Mike yawned as he sat in a chair on an empty Laugh Floor. He was sitting by a door station and was swiping cards. When a door rattled in he would send it straight back. "How much longer tonight Sulley?" he asked his friend.

Sulley was sitting in a chair as will by a door station. He swiped card and sent the doors back when they came through. Both monsters had files and folders around them. They had been doing this for hours.

"Just a few more Mikey." Sulley said. "Just a few more tonight."

"All right." Mike sighed and picked up another folder. He pulled the card key out and swiped it.

BEEEEPPPPP

Mike blinked and did it again.

BEEEEPPPPP

The numbers flashed and then read 'error'.

"Sulley!" Mike jumped up. "I think I found it!"

"What?"

"I think I found it!" Mike stood up and flipped the folder open and read the notes. "It says here the child was LeRoy LaGide. His monster was Neil from Scare Floor D. The door was set to be shredded with in a year. Due to…." Mike trailed off reading.

"Due to what?" Sulley asked as he looked down at Mike.

"Due to the kid's age and 'child aggression'." Mike looked up at Sulley, "So we found the door. What now? The door is smashed."

Sulley thought for a moment. "Where is it?"

Mike looked back down at the file. "It's Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Actually on the outside of Baton Rouge."

"We'll come back tomorrow when Mapping is open. They'll map out the surrounding area, see if there is any house's near by that we can go through and look for him." Sulley said as he took the folder from Mike.

The next day, while most of the monsters were doing their Laugh routines, Mike and Sulley were in one of the huge rooms where monsters mapped out the Human World. A dull green and brown monster was currently mapping out a 50-mile radius for them.

He looked up and handed Sulley the map. "Here. The closest house is this one." He tapped a small square. "We update every day at noon. The home that had the closet you was looking for had moved almost a week ago."

"Moved?" Mike looked up at Sulley, "Moved? Is that good Sulley?"

"I don't know yet." Sulley looked down at the map. "So who's home was that?" he asked indicating the small box.

"That is still there. I don't know the name of the family. I'm sorry Mr. Sullivan. Our job is to know were the humans live at…not their names. That's the records department."

"Thank you." Sulley said as he nodded to them. He then took the map and walked out heading straight to the records room.

"Hey! Wait up!" Mike ran to catch up with Sulley. He huffed for a few minuets. "Come Sulley… Pal, this is gone far enough…really how are you supposed to find him? He could be out in the swamp! That's miles and miles! He could be died by now!"

"Mike…I have to try. Just a little longer." Sulley said as he studied the map.

Mike heaved a sigh, "Alright buddy…"

The records office was huge. Millions of file cabinets were everywhere. Monsters were running about in a hurried but organized manner.

"Wow!" Mike looked around wide-eyed.

"Yeah…and I think it's only second to the Door Vault."

"Hello Mr. Sullivan…how can I help you?" a very tall and very thin brown and black monster walked up to them. She looked down at then, her light gray eyes blinking.

"Yes…I need to find out everything about this house. The family that lives there now, if there is any active doors or what." Sulley lifted the mapped up to the tall female.

She took it and looked down at it. "Hmm. Give me a few minuets." she walked over to one of the many computers in the huge room. She looked at the codes on the map and in a flash had them typed into the computer. As it was running through the files, she turned to them. "Things are so much easier now. In the old days every human family that had kids was catalogue in a certain order. We had even more file cabinets then this. When doors were destroyed, we still keep a file on the door, it's much smaller though. We keep the door code and the serial number and the human's name. So even though the door is gone, still have the codes for that door."

Sulley perked up at this but then realized he didn't even know Boo's name. But then…Fungus did. Sulley made a mental note to ask Fungus.

"Ah, ah. Here it is. The last child that was scared in that house is a Danielle Marie DeMarsh. Her door was shredded when she was 6. 17 years ago."

"Is there any kids still living in the house?" Mike asked.

"No. She was the only child in that house that had a monster. And it seems that she had never moved. No new humans are living in that house," the tall female said.

"That doesn't help us at all!" Sulley said. "If her door was-"

"Mr. Sullivan…I can give you the codes. The door synthesis department can rebuild doors if you are needing that particular door rebuilt."

"Yes! Yes…please. I never thought that…" Sulley said a bit embarrassed.

The female laughed. "It's all right. You're still new as a CEO. I'm sure you'll learn everything that goes on." She then turned back and then very carefully wrote the numbers down. "Here you go. Whatever you are looking for I hope that helps."

Sulley nodded and took the paper. As they went to the other side of the factory, Mike grumbled. "This is quite the run around for Lizard Boy. If he is alive, we better hear some serious praise for finding ol' Lizard Lips!"

Sulley just ignored him but shook his head. His head was filled with so many thoughts and ideas. If this door synthesis department could rebuild a door that had been shredded 17 years again, then after he found out Boo's real name, then he could have her door rebuilt. When he entered the office for the synthesis department he handed over the paper.

The little monster in the office had five eyes and each was a different color. He carefully typed the numbers in, the door code, then the serial number. "Ok, Mr. Sullivan…the good news is…. we can make the door. The bad news…. it won't be ready until February. A door to the human world is not just wood. They have to be the exact match. Down to the same type of paint, wood, and even doorknobs. Then we have to make sure that the door will even activate. If not then it has to be rebuilt."

Sulley sighed but nodded. "Thank you. Call me whenever it's ready."

"Come on pal. A lot of the work is over. We found the door. Found a much safer door to go through. So what if it will take a few months. You can relax in the mean time." Mike said as he walked on past.

"Yeah…"

XxX

"I'm sorry Mr. Sullivan. Mary Gibbs' codes have been completely erased. There are no codes whatsoever," the same tall female told Sulley a few days later.

Sulley sagged, "Oh. Well thank you then." he slowly left the records office. At least he knew her real name now. Mary Gibbs. She had looked like a Mary. He knew that it would be pointless to ask Fungus again. The little stuttering monster hadn't wanted to give Sulley even the girl's name and Sulley didn't have the heart to threaten him with being fired. In fact the little monster seemed to be in much more of a nervous wreck. He was jumpy and if Sulley thought about it, the little monster seemed to be spotted with bruises. Something was going on and Sulley was beginning to have a very bad feeling about it.


	29. Chapter 29

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Aww…I think I like this chapter or at least the beginning which some was inspired by a picture that pitbulllady did of Randall for the New Years.…and uh oh.**

**And I want to warn and apologize for the ending of this chapter. It will have death. **

**Chapter 29**

XXX

Randall groaned in slight pain that turned into a hum of pleasure.

Danielle chuckled at him as she continued to work at his leg. They were sitting on the living room floor. Or at least Danielle was. Randall was laid out completely on his belly, a pillow under his head. His whole 12 feet some length was stretched out. Or 12 and ½ feet when she had finally asked. She had been close, only a half of a foot off, but still hearing and even going as far as measuring him with a tape measure while he laughed, she couldn't quite believe at how big he was or at the most on how long he was.

She lightly stroked upward on his leg to warm up the area in preparation for some deeper techniques. She had been keeping an eye on it. Seeing if there had been any more swelling and bruising or even heat. Since there had been none, she was starting the massages. She had had him to lie out on his belly, and was gently with her hands stroking lightly but firmly upwards from just above the heel to the back of his knee.

"Ok Randall, I'm going to start pressing. Let me know if it becomes too much." Danielle glanced at him.

He rolled his eyes back toward her. "Trust me, I'll let you know."

Danielle shook her head, "Just don't thrash around like a worm."

Randall snorted, "I think I have enough self control."

Danielle raised an eyebrow, "Case in point? You couldn't control yourself over the Natchitoches Meat Pies and the cabbage tonight."

Randall grinned at her, "What can I say? It was good."

Danielle snorted though she laughed as well, "Well, my mother always said the way to a man's heart was through his stomach."

"No comment."

Danielle laughed then. After she had rubbed a bit of baby oil on her hands, she began to apply a firm, kneading pressure. Randall yelped and squirmed. "Oh gee, Randall, suck it up. I'm not pressing that hard!"

"Need I remind you how much it still hurts!" he growled softly into the pillow as he struggled to hold still.

"Men are such wimps," Danielle said.

He didn't argue.

Danielle continued to knead the muscle and began to gently pull half the muscle toward her with the fingers of one of her hands while pushing half the muscle away with her thumb of her other hand. She continued to do this until Randall's groaning and squirming faded and he relaxed.

Then slow and deliberate, she used both thumbs together and applied deep pressure up the middle of his calf muscle. Randall began to tight his leg. "Stop it. Relax." Danielle instructed.

Randall groaned but forced himself to reflex.

"Good, good," she crooned softly as she pressed; feeling for any lumps and bumps. Finding none she nodded to herself and then apply pressure in a circular pattern to any tight spots, the pressure was firm but gentile.

Randall relaxed again and hummed in pleasure once more. The end of his tail moving side to side just slightly.

"And…we are done." Danielle said as she pulled her hands away.

Randall opened his eyes. "Done already?" And he had just been fully getting into it.

"Yep. If you want, try some pressure by standing on it." Danielle said as she capped the bottle of oil.

Randall nodded and slowly and carefully twisted around and stood up. He slowly put weight on it and winced but fully put his weight on it.

Danielle looked up at him, "How is it?"

"Tender, but not too bad." Randall said.

"Good. Then we'll do the massages every night and the deeper massages every other night. I'll let the muscles rest day in-between to allow them to 'recover'." Danielle reached over and picked up the ace bandages and the cast and scooted up closer to Randall while he stood. "Ok, lift your leg slightly."

Randall did so, balancing on his three good legs. He looked down at the top of Danielle's head and again had the urge to reach out a touch her hair. Finally giving in, he reached down and picked up some of her hair. It was much longer now then when he had first seen her. He rolled the soft fine hair in his fingers, the fine hairs catching slightly on the velvet soft ridges on the large balls of his fingers. Suddenly he realized that Danielle had stopped strapping his leg into the cast. He looked down and saw that she was looking up at him.

"What are you doing?" she asked softly.

"Uh-nothing…your hair…it's soft." Randall said rather weakly. Even to his own ears.

"Oh. Thanks." A slight blush came over her cheeks and she looked back down and finished strapping his leg into the cast. She waited a few minutes and then looked back out at Randall. "Uh Randall?"

"Yeah?"

"Can-can you let go of my hair so I can stand up?" Her cheeks still held the blush.

Randall's green eyes widened and he dropped the lock of hair that he had still been holding. "I-I'm sorry."

Danielle stood up holding the bottle of oil. "It's ok. I-I don't mind." She blushed again then looked annoyed at herself. "Well… let me go put this up." She then hurried out of the room to the bathroom that Randall used.

What was coming over him? He then remembered the musing he had about four nights ago. He was going to try. It may not go far and may not be that wise, but why not have a bit of fun and push the cultural biases aside? She hadn't been disgusted; hell she had even kissed him! Twice. Granted it was on the forehead and cheek but still. His problem… laid at how would he pick up the pace a bit? If Danielle had been a female monster back home it wouldn't be such a problem. But that could be it. He was still treating her differently. Still…he had to go slow. Even if there was only a month maybe a month and a half left it still had to go slow. If nothing ever came out of it, then he had at least tried, and hopefully they would still part as friends.

Xxx

Danielle put the bottle in the cabinet and closed the mirror's door. She didn't know what come over her to cause her to blush like that. He was doing such a little unsexual thing. Touching and holding a lock of her hair. But what had made her blushed like that? She liked him. She liked his snarkiness, his wit. She liked _him_. But was it forming into a different like? How would that even work? She was human. He was not. Not an animal that was for sure but still not human. If something ever came out of it, would it even work? He had to go back soon. Could she handle growing more attached to him then have to see him leave? She would have to anyway. Hell she was already attached to him. She loved him.

Danielle gasped. No, no, no, not that love. She told her herself. No. She took a deep breath. She then smiled. No. It wasn't that kind of love. She was sure of it. She loved him, but it was the friendship love she had.

She was at least sure that it was that type of love she had for him. Satisfied for now she walked out of the bathroom and to the hall closet. "Hey Randall?"

After a few minutes he arrived beside her. "Yeah?"

"Here." She began to shove blankets into his arms.

"What are these for?" he said after a small grunt.

"You do know that it's New Years Eve right?" She said as she closed the closet door and took some of the blankets back.

"Yeah, I do. What of it?" He asked as he began to follow her.

"Well, do you like fireworks?" Danielle said as she sat the pile of blankets by the door.

"Yes. I do actually. I thought that we was just going to watch that ball drop on the TV?" Randall asked confused.

"I was planning on it, but then I thought, 'Why not go and see some live fireworks?' Baton Rouge shoots out fireworks over the Mississippi. It's very nice, and I did say that I'd like to show you the city. It's dark, and no one will pay much attention to you, besides, you can…uh…. blend? So do you what to go?"

Randall's face split into a wide smile. "I would love to. I'd like to see this city that you work and go to school at."

"Well. Good. It's supposed to be chilly, so I'm bringing some blankets. Plus, we'll watch from the back of the truck." Danielle bent and picked up the blankets again. "Let me carry this out and if you grab that brown bag from the fridge and then your coat, we'll be ready to go."

Randall nodded at her and turned and went into the kitchen while Danielle carried the blankets out. He opened the refrigerator's door and grabbed the brown bag that he had seen her place in there a few days ago. His three-fingered hand closed around something hard. He pulled it out but didn't look in it. Closing the door with his tail he walked back out shutting the lights off as he went. He stopped at the front door and pulled the large coat on and then slipped out the door. Danielle had already started the truck and when Randall closed the front door he heard a small click. He then hurried over to the truck and climbed in. He had to admit he was rather excited. Almost two months in the Human World and he hadn't got to see much of it. He was rather happy that she suggested this.

"Ready?" Danielle asked.

Randall nodded. "What time does the fireworks start?"

"At midnight. It's 10 now. We have plenty of time." Danielle pulled out of the drive and drove down the gravel road. As they passed the empty spot where the LaGide's had lived, Randall couldn't help the proud smile that crossed his face.

"You're really proud of yourself because of that huh?" Danielle said as she then tuned onto the paved road.

"Oh yeah. And the very shovel that they use on me…it's out in the swamp…rusting." Randall said still very proud of himself.

"That's good to know…." Danielle rolled her eyes.

Randall just grinned at her, his sharp teeth flashing in the dark. He then turned away and looked out the window. He then remembered the bag beside him. "Hey what was in the bag?"

"Well pull it out and look." Danielle smiled and clicked one of the small lights on in the cab. There was no other cars out on the road until she turned onto the freeway.

Randall picked up the bag and pulled out a green glass bottle. He read the label. "Champagne?"

"Yep. Can't really bring in the New Year without a little of that. I don't drink much, low tolerance. What about you? Do…"

"I've drunk champagne…and harder stuff then this spiked 'ginger ale'." Randall said as he put the bottle back in the bag.

Danielle clicked the light back off. "So you do have-"

"Beer, wine, champagne, and liquor? Yes we do. I've gotten into trouble with the stuff myself before. Just the same with almost any young kid that is set free to drink as much as he wants. From your own story of how you got that tattoo, you know very well of what I'm taking about." Randall smirked at her as she flushed.

"Well yes…I guess they have the drinking law set at 21 for a reason huh?" Danielle said while she laughed with slight embarrassment.

"How did you get drunk and nobody knew that you were underage?"

"Margot did it. She got me drunk and besides, there is no way in hell they check the ID of all the people during Mardi Gras. It's this huge party that people from all over go to." Danielle said as she turned onto the freeway.

Randall laughed, "This Mardi Gras sounds like it's really something."

"Oh it is, it is."

They sat in silence while Danielle drove closer to the city. Finally the glow from the city shone in the distance and Randall began to take in the sights. The spot that Danielle was going to take them to had her to drive through some of the city. That was fine with Randall, he blended but noticed that not many were paying much attention to the small beat up green truck. He kept his eyes open and took in the sights. She had been right. It really was something. The city had a mix of a new and old flavor in the air while the city back in his world was mostly a new one. It felt new and modern. This city had some of the modern buildings, but a lot of old ones were still there. Danielle slowed when they passed a large dark wood building.

"That's the restaurant where I work."

Randall didn't say anything. He was too busy taking in the sights. Danielle would point out some buildings and tell him what they were. Finally they turned on to where they began to cross a bridge. He leaned out the window some looking out over a huge black river. He could see dozens of brightly lit boats and huge barges.

"And that's the Mississippi River. I love that river. It's one of the longest and biggest in the United States. The Ohio empties into the Mississippi and the Mississippi runs down to New Orleans and empties into the Gulf of Mexico."

Randall ducked his head back into the truck and turned his 'floating' eyes over to Danielle. "I have to admit, it's the widest river I have ever seen."

Danielle just smiled and then turned off and then down a small quiet road. She drove for a few more minutes and then turned again. She had brought them to a mostly quiet spot. In the distance they could hear whooping and hollering from other people. Danielle turned the trunk off and grabbed the blankets and stepped out of the truck. She then climbed up in the bed of the truck and spread some blankets in the back. When she was done, she sat down and wrapped a blanket around her. It was cold like she had said, but she figured the cold would be worth it. She watched as Randall looked around. There wasn't much to see, though one could see the sparkle of black water from the river. The area was slightly light up as a long barge passed along on the river.

Finally Randall climbed into the back of the truck and sat down beside her. "What time is it now?"

"It's a little after 11. The roads were really busy." Danielle was quiet for a few minutes. "Bet you never thought that this is how you would be spending New Years huh?"

Randall laughed softly, "Nope. If everything had gone right and Waternoose had come through on his promise, I would be spending New Years in some fancy office or something like that…but in a way I think this is better. I don't know why just yet, but I do think that it is better."

"I'm glad then." She looked over at Randall who was shivering slightly despite the large coat he wore.

"Alright Randall come on."

"What?"

"You're cold. Curl up here and we'll share the blanket." Danielle let the blanket drop a bit.

"Uh-I'm fine." Randall said as he hunkered down.

"Stop being so tete dure, so stubborn! It's cold and it's gonna get colder." Danielle said as she scooted closer to Randall.

He looked at her still unsure.

"Fine. Sit there and shiver." Danielle said as she rewrapped the blanket around her shoulders.

"All right, all right." Randall shifted closer.

"Oh no, you didn't want to to began with." Danielle hid her smile.

"Come on…it is cold and you have clothes, all I have is this coat." Randall reached out and tugged lightly on the blanket.

"Uh huh."

Randall tugged harder and Danielle pulled back, it soon becoming a tug of war between the two, Danielle beginning to giggle, while Randall started to laugh as well. Suddenly he tugged too hard and Danielle yelped and fell over onto him. She lifted her head and looked down at him. Her hair brushed across his face and he reached out and brushed it aside and even tucked some behind her ear. Danielle blushed as she looked down at him. "It seems I have a very bad habit of falling into you huh?"

"Yeah, you do…. but I don't mind it."

Danielle blushed harder and slowly leaned down…should she dare?

Suddenly there was a flash of bright orange with a loud pop.

Both Randall and Danielle jumped and looked up in the sky. The first firework had gone off. Danielle then looked back down at Randall and pulled back abruptly. He was staring back up at her. She scrambled up, "S-sorry."

"It's ok." Randall shifted around so that he too was sitting back up.

Without hesitation despite her embarrassing close call to kissing him, she still wrapped the blanket around both him and her. More fireworks lit up the sky. While Randall was distracted watching them she pulled out the bottle and opened it. Randall looked back down at her when he heard the cork bottle pop. She then passed him a Dixie cup.

She grinned then, "Classy, I know, but I don't even own a wine glass. This is better anyway."

Randall sniggered, "Actually I approve."

Danielle began to giggle so hard that she had trouble pouring the stuff into the cups. Randall had to take it away and pour it himself. Finally done laughing she putt the lid back on the bottle. "Only one for me. I have to drive back."

Randall nodded and raised his paper cup in a half mocking and half serious way, "To a New Year."

Danielle raised hers, "Yes, to a New Year."

They then sipped the slightly dry alcoholic liquid and sat there watching the fireworks in silence.

XXX

Jester felt like skipping and jumping and singing for joy. The stupid machine was finally up and running. Both he and Fungus had spliced the last wire together a few nights ago, and when he turned it on, it didn't buck, scream, or pour out thick black smoke, or even gave a rattle. Instead it hummed to life and began the suction. After thumping Fungus on the back for a job well done, a hard thump that made the little monster fall on his face and chip a tooth, Jester had called Waternoose.

Waternoose had then ordered a test to be done. He had ordered Fungus to sneak Jester into the factory late at night, call some random door and get said kid. After much thumping and twisting of bones on Fungus's part while Jester laughed at his pain, Fungus had managed to sneak Jester into the factory. Fungus took him to a random floor and both were waiting as the door that Fungus had called to arrive. Jester watched as a light yellow door appeared and came down into the station and then activate.

"I-I-I chose a gi-girl's door. They have proven to be-be more docile then a boy." Fungus said as he backed up.

"It doesn't mater. I'm bigger then most humans and certainly bigger then some kid." Jester said as he pulled gloves on. Even if it seemed that Human children weren't as toxic as it was believed, he still didn't relish touching some drooling human brat.

Fungus grabbed the knob and opened it wide for him. Jester picked up a large duffel bag and ducked his head in swinging all of his eyes around looking inside of the room. The hard red glittering eyes fell upon a little female human. He watched the small girl inside sleep, her chest rising up and down. Then pulling out a cloth from the bag that was already dosed in chloroform, Jester crept up towards her wooden bed. He brought the cloth down close to her nose and mouth but didn't press it against her face. He allowed her to breathe in the sweet-smelling cloth. After a few minutes he pulled it away and nudged her. No movement. One more time he did and the small child didn't move. He nodded and put the cloth away and opened the duffel bag and picked up the little girl easily and placed her in the duffel bag. He zipped it up and slung it over his narrow shoulders. He exited quickly through her closet door.

X

By the time both Jester and Fugues made it back to the warehouse, the kid was began to squirm and wiggle in the bag, letting out scared whimpers. While Fungus powered the machine up, Jester set the bag down and unzipped it. The girl came tumbling out. She was about five and was dressed in a pink nightgown. She looked up at the 7-foot tall light blue and black speckled monster. He grinned down at her.

Tears welled up in her green eyes. "Mommy..." she whispered.

"No 'mommy' here…but if you are a very good girl, you can see her in a few hours. Will you be a good girl for Jester?" he smirked, while Fungus just looked completely sick and disgusted.

The girl looked up at him for a few minutes then nodded.

"Good. Now come on, you are the life at this party and we have a 'special seat…just for you." Jester took her hand in his last set and led her over to the metal chair. He still had the gloves on and he then bent down and lifted her up to the holding chair. Right away she knew something was off when he strapped her tiny wrists into the holsters.

"No!" She screamed in a last plead. It made Fungus wince with the sound.

Jester just ignored her now though the same sick grin was on his face. He patted her on the head then stepped back and over to Fungus. "Turn it on."

Moving his fingers into position on the small levers and with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach he pushed them into a working layout as the sound of the whirring of the system started up.

The girl began to squirm and beg as the nozzle slowly crept its way across the space between the two. "Mommy!" She screamed. She shrieked in absolute terror at what about was going to happen to her. The mouthpiece moved closer to her and clamped over her mouth and the machine begin to suck, literally drawing the air from her lungs. The vacuum is intense. The little girl's ribs drew into themselves and cracked in half. Her body was imploding as her lungs were almost ripped from her chest.

Without being told, Fungus pressed the button to release the contraption. It moved slowly away from the bloody mouth of the child. Fungus went pale and then ran out of the room gagging.

Jester stared at the cracked mess of the dead child and frowned. "Shit!" he snarled. He walked past the body and over to where his cell phone laid. He dialed Waternoose.

"Did it work?" Was the first thing out of the mouth of the crab monster.

Jester walked over and looked at the yellow canisters. All was empty. Not a scream had been sucked out. "If you wanted a dead child and empty canisters then yes, I'd say yes it did work. But if a dead child and empty canisters isn't want you wanted, then no…it didn't work."

"What? What happened?"

"The machine sucked the air right out of its lungs. And the lungs and cracked the ribs. It didn't suck any screams out." Jester said as he walked over to the dead child and picked up a lock of blond hair.

There was a growling. "How old was the child?"

"Five."

"Try older. It might have to be older children we use."

"Fine. And the dead one?"

"Get rid of it. Make sure no one finds it." with that Waternoose hung up.


	30. Chapter 30

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in (now) 2002. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**And I want to warn and apologize for the beginning of this chapter. It will have death. **

**And wow! We're at chapter 30 already!**

**Chapter 30**

XXX

Jester growled as he stared at the dead child. This time it was an eight-year-old boy. The same thing had happened to this one as it did to the first three. Imploding inners and lungs basically ripped from the chest. He walked over and released the holsters and shoved the body unto the concrete. One week and four children dead. This was not getting them anywhere.

"Fungus?" Jester called.

"R-right here." Fungus appeared from around the control panel.

"Bag it. We'll take to MI's incinerator later." Jester said as he walked off and began to pace. Things were not going good at all. He looked over at the machine. Was there something missing? Had it even been complete? Jester heard whimpers of disgust as Fungus struggle with the human's body that was much bigger then him. "Oh come on!" Jester said. "It's dead! It can't hurt you!"

"It's heavy…" Fungus said timidly.

"Oh for fuck's sake. Hold the bag." Jester then picked the body up by a leg and then dropped it in to the bag that Fungus held open. "Now tie it and then drag it over to the door."

Fungus nodded and huffing and puffing he drug the bag to the door.

While Fungus was doing this Jester walked back over to the machine and began to look it over. "Hmm, " he thought out loud. What was wrong with it? He had put it back together following the directions of the blue prints. Was it possible that Boggs hadn't even finished it? That was why he was testing it first. "Fungus!" Jester yelled suddenly.

Fungus squeaked and looked over at Jester. "Y-yes?"

"Was Boggs even finished with the machine?"

"He said he was. B-but even then he wasn't s-sure. T-that's w-w-why we were going to t-test that day." Fungus stuttered as he dunked down.

Jester stared down at the little cowering monster. "So Boggs wasn't even sure it was done? Did he say what could be off with it?"

"N-no. We never g-got to test it…."

The light blue monster leaned down and picked Fungus up by the now forever sore fin on his back. Ignoring Fungus's yelping and cries, he threw the monster down on the hard concrete. "Look it over! See if we are messing anything!" he snarled, though there was a grin on his face.

Fungus nodded ad began to look over the machine, turning it on occasionally.

Jester looked over the blueprints again, this was becoming more trouble then it was worth. The machine wasn't working like it was supposed to and not one scream from a single child had been taken. All that it left was a child with imploded organs. He looked through the papers when he turned it over. There in the top right corner was something he had completely missed. He peered closely and it and began a high shrieking laugh. He then stormed over the Fungus and shoved the paper in his face.

"Where's the other blue print!"

Fungus had fallen on his butt but took the paper when Jester shoving it into his face again. Fungus straightened his glasses and read the little footnote that Randall had left.

'_Not sure if the suction will take a hold of the scream energy. If test fails, calibrate the driver and the scream intake valve. Notes and settings on page 23._'

Fungus looked up at Jester. "Oh."

"_Oh_," Jester mocked. "Where is it!"

"I don't know!"

"Frungus…that was the wrong answer." Jester then picked up Fungus by the leg and carried him over to the table and shoved him down on his belly on the table. Jester then picked up a knife that had been used to cut the zip ties on one on the kids. He held Fungus down with a few of his arms and then took the knife and split a segment in the fin on Fungus's back. There wasn't much feeling but there was blood vessel and some pain. Fungus screamed.

"Where is it?"

"I-I don't know!"

"Wrong answer!" Jester grinned and then slit another segment and flipped Fungus over.

Tears were running down his face now. "Please! I don't know where it is!"

Jester sighed and shook his head, "Do you enjoy this? I mean I'm having some fun but I don't think you are." Suddenly with a snarl Jester pushed his face into Fungus's and stuck the blood covered knife into Fungus's mouth and pressed the side to the corner of his lips. "Tell me or I will slit your mouth into a permanent smile for the kiddies!"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

Jester pulled back and regarded Fungus. Suddenly he let Fungus go.

Fungus sat up and pushed away from Jester. "Did y-you c-c-c-check Randall's a-a-apartment?"

"I tore the place apart. All I found was what I have." Jester stepped away from the table.

"I-I don't know where the other paper is. He never told me. E-everything went so wrong that day!"

"And you don't know the half of it!" a voice said from the doorway. Both Jester and Fungus spun around to see the old gray monster walk into the building, his sharp claws tapping. He glanced at the bag that held the child's body, and then turned his eyes over to them. "I take that it went wrong again?"

"Yes. The same thing had happened as did to the others. Imploding inners and lungs that is ripped from the body." Jester said. He then shoved Fungus to the floor.

"What were the settings?"

"Too low it won't do anything. Even at the lowest setting it won't allow the child to scream with the suction. Too high it kills them and still no screams." Jester then shoved the paper into Waternoose's face. "Read that!"

Waternoose took the paper and read it. He then looked up at Jester. "So Boggs never finished it!"

"Boggs did finish it. He was just unsure if the machine could take hold of the energy. He has the settings somewhere, but not here and not in his apartment."

"Then can't you calibrate the settings?"

"I-" Jester was cut off by small nervous laughter.

Both Jester and Waternoose turned to look at Fungus. He was sitting on the ground slightly bloody. He was laughing nervously. "You both w-will never be able to calibrate the settings. To d-do so you w-would have to u-u-use every possible combinations. It would take m-months. I-I-I-I-I-I d-don't know the calibrating numbers. Randall does. T-too bad he's in t-t-t-t-the H-hu-human world and t-t-t-t-too bad you a-a-a-are going to k-kill him if he is still alive."

Waternoose started toward him but Jester stopped him.

"He's right. It would take forever to calibrate the thing. And to keep kidnapping kids…we will be found out eventually. Boggs is the one that knows more about it so I say, instead of killing the kid; I'll bring him back then have him finish it. Then kill him."

Waternoose stared up at Jester. "Then do it."

Jester grinned, "Who knows…. if I bring him back and he fixes it and he'll be so glad that he's back and out of the swamps that there will be no need to kill him. He can be your little lackey again." Jester walked over to the bag that had the dead child. "Come on Fungi, let's get this to the incinerator." Fungus jumped up and ran past Jester out the door to the car to start it.

Jester suddenly laughed, "I'll have Frungus to find out when they will go find Boggs. I sure hope that you know that you are racking up quite a bill. My fees just rose." he then laughed as he picked up the bag and slung it over his shoulder and walked out the door smiling sardonically as he heard Waternoose growl and curse.

XX

"Hey Fungus?"

The little monster shook as he looked up. "Y-y-yes?" the stutter that he had picked up made the kids laugh. He would try to tell a joke, but for the most part never made it through most of them, but the children didn't care. In their childish innocence they thought it was funny and that he was doing it on propose.

The light orange and blue monster looked down at Fungus. He wasn't much taller though. His two green eyes that were on eye stocks looked him over. "Mr. Sullivan would like to talk to you."

"O-oh ok. T-t-thank you." Fungus put a hold on his doors and sent his assistant to break and slowly made his way to Sullivan's office. In his tiny gut he feared the worse. That somehow Sullivan knew that he had been sneaking Jester into the factory to kidnap kids and then using the incinerator to burn the bodies to ash. He was shaking horribly when he came to Sullivan's office. He knocked and heard the deep voice of Sullivan. "Come on it."

Fungus walked in and slowly walked up to the desk. He could barely peer over it.

Sullivan stood up and walked around to look down at the little monster. Then to Fungus's surprise kneeled down so he wasn't towering over the jellybean monster. "Fungus? I've been noticing that you have been coming in with all kinds of bruises and cuts. And now today, your fin is sliced and you are talking with a stutter more. What's going on? Are you alright?"

"Oh! O-o-oh. I-I k-keep getting jumped o-on m-m-m-my way h-home." Fungus said as he tried to control the stutter.

Sullivan shook his head, "Have you reported it?"

"No. It's different monsters every t-t-time. I can't s-s-s-s-see them too good. I-I-it-happened a lot b-b-before R-R-Randall walked me p-p-part way."

Sullivan blinked. "Randall did?"

Fungus nodded, "We t-took the s-same way home for a fe-few blocks before w-we went different ways."

Sulley winced inside. It seemed that when they banished Randall it affected a lot more monsters then they thought it would. "I can start dropping you off home if you want. And I'm sure that there are other monsters that you can car pool with." he stood back up.

"Oh….I-I-I can find a ride. Thanks a-any way." Fungus hoped that this might be enough for Jester to back off some. He didn't want to become too suspicious.

"Ok, I can have one of my best Laughers hurt now huh?" Sulley said trying to help the nervous little monster.

Fungus blushed a little. "I-I don't know about that Mr. Sullivan. U-uh Mr. Sullivan?"

Sulley laughed, "I don't know why you all insist on calling me that. I may be the CEO now, but I'm still the same 'Sulley' that you all knew, just busier. Please, it's Sulley."

Fungus laughed nervously then looked side to side then looked up at Sulley. "Is it true that you and Wazowski a-are l-looking for Randall?"

Sulley blinked again, then nodded. "Yes. We did wrong. I'm trying to find him and bring him back. We have found the area we…banished him to. But right now we have to wait until the only and safest door in the area is rebuilt."

"Oh. W-w-wh-when do you think it w-w-will be ready?" Fungus asked.

"Sometime in February."

XX

"February then?"

Fungus nodded looking down at the floorboard of Jester's car. Right after Fungus had gotten home that night, he had heard a car blowing its horn. He had looked out his window and saw the little beat up red rusted car. He had sighed and went down to meet Jester. They were now parked some distance away from over curious eyes.

"Well that will give us a break then huh? Ok this is what we do. Keep one of your three eyes open and your ears clear. The moment the door is finished let me know."

"A-a-and if Sulley and Mike go through first?"

"I highly doubt that they will find him the first night. By that time, it will be almost four months. While I have a feeling that Boggs wouldn't leave that area for a while especially if he's hurt and there's a house nearby, there is a chance that he did try to move on to find an active door. But since he has not made it back, it means he's one, dead. Two, still close by."

Fungus nodded the probabilities were more then likely that. "A-and then what do w-w-w-we do?"

"We'll steal the door. Hid it and while they are running circles we'll go through and look. If we don't find him within say, five days, I know a good tracker we can call. He'll help for a fee."

Fungus then sighed but nodded as Jester started the car and drove him back home. He was getting sick of this whole thing and just wished for it to be over. He was having a hard time looking his kids in the eyes as he tried to make them laugh. He felt the guilt eating away at him. He couldn't forget the sights and sounds of the poor human children as they cried and begged and then was killed by the machine. He wiped a tear away as he looked out the window. What has he done?

XXXX

"God Danielle is it this normally cold?" Randall said as he shivered.

Danielle looked over at Randall. He was shivering again. "No. It's not. The weather man said that it should break by this weekend."

"And you believe him?"

"No." Danielle smiled behind her book, "One more notch, Nanuk."

"Thank you!" Randall shoot up off the couch and went over to the thermostat and turned it up one more.

"Are you sure you're not cold blooded?" Danielle asked as she watched him.

"I'm positive. You have clothes. I don't." Randall said as he sat back down on the couch shivering while he waited for it to heat up some more.

"You know I really don't see you in my pants Randall." Danielle said not realizing what she just said.

The choked sputter had her looking over at Randall. He was looked at her with wide eyes, but was trying to fight back laughs.

"What-oh," she then realized what she said and began laughing in embarrassment. "That came out completely wrong!"

Randall had to put his coffee down so that he didn't spill it. He busted out laughing though there was slight different sound in it. It wasn't embarrassment in his part.

"You know…if you are still cold…I have a small electric heater." Danielle said to escape the embarrassment.

Randall stopped laughing. He couldn't believe it. He had been freezing all day and she waits until now to mention to him that she had an electric heater. "Where is it?"

"In the closet of my study. If you go get it and bring it in here, I'll make something that will warm us up better then coffee. You can even take the cast off afterward." Danielle said as she closed her book.

"Sounds good." he slipped off the couch and walked down the hall to the study.

Danielle smiled and stood up and carried her own coffee and picked up Randall's from the coffee table. She looked into the mug as she carried the cups to the kitchen. He was almost finished so she dumped it and hers out and rinsed both mugs. Then she pulled out the teakettle and after she filled it with water, and set it on the stove to heat while she pulled out two teabags and a small pint of sweet whiskey. It was a secret stash she had and only used in winter. She hadn't been telling Randall that she had been having extra trouble with her breathing with this cold spell. She hadn't been sleeping too well and this will help, though the alcohol won't help her asthma. But going on few hours of sleep, she was willing to overlook it. Besides she never used that much or drank that much for that matter.

She poured about two tablespoons into each mug along with two tablespoons of sugar just as the kettle went off. She then dropped two tea bags into the mug and poured the hot water into the mugs. She stirred it and smelled the sharp sweet whiskey smell. She then picked up the mugs and carried them into the living room. She giggled when she saw Randall looking over the three-foot tall white heater. Danielle put the mugs down on the coffee table. Then she walked over to him.

"Odd little thing. Does it really put out heat?"

"Yep. Plug into the wall." she instated as she flipped two little switches.

Randall did so and a red light came on. With in a few minutes there was a bubbling and a popping as the oil inside began to heat up.

Then to Randall's surprise she grabbed a few cushions from the couch and tossed them on the floor about four feet away from the heater. She smiled at him then pointed to the floor. "Lay down and I'll take the cast off. It's getting better and some heat and air will do it some good."

Randall smirked, "Lay down? Should I sit, heel and roll over too?"

"Only if you want to silly. Now go on." Danielle kneeled down on her knees while Randall stretched his long frame out. He watched her as she un-strapped the cast and unrolled the ace bandages.

"I can do that you know."

"I know, but it gives me a reason to touch your leg," she giggled as she ran her hand over the smooth scaleless leg. The skin was thick, but it was smooth. The muscles in this particular leg were weak from the trauma and from not using it, but they were building it back up. Everyday was getting better and better. There was almost not pain when she preformed the exercises. She rubbed the leg, looking over the faint bruises. Then looked at another leg comparing the healthy one to the weaker one. The muscles in the other legs however were hard and strong. She ran her hand over the last leg and then squeezed the calf gently. The hard muscle twitched and tensed then relaxed. She then just so happened to look up and felt her cheeks burn when she saw Randall staring at her, his bright green eyes focused right on her.

She smiled in embarrassment and stood up. She took the few steps toward the coffee table and picked up the mugs. She passed one to Randall and then reached over and picked up her reading glasses and book. Then to his shock she sat down on the floor with him.

"What?" she said in response to his look, "Think you can hog all the heat? I used to do this all the time."

Randall shook his head, "It's fine. I don't mind at all." He then looked down at the tea in the mug. He wasn't stupid. His nose and tongue could smell the alcohol. "Hot tea and whiskey?"

Danielle smiled and nodded, "Yes. Other then coffee, this is my favorite winter drink. Helps you sleep."

"Yes." Randall took as sip almost grimacing at the sweet taste, but the second was better as he got used to the sweetness. He could taste the whiskey in it but it wasn't overpowering. Soon after about half a cup he could feel his body relaxing and he felt much better with the heat close by.

Danielle finished her cup. "You know, I may be pushing myself but I'm going to fix one more. You want another?"

Randall finished his and then nodded, "Why not. Just don't get me drunk now."

Danielle sniggered. "I think that'll be very interesting." she said as she stood and took his mug. She walked into the kitchen and began to make some more.

Randall laughed softly as well then rolled over on his belly then curled around closer to the heat. He then made a small contented purr-like sound. It wasn't a full purr, not even close and didn't even sound remotely like a feline's but a purr was the best way to describe it.

"What was that noise Randall?" Randall lifted his head and looked up. Danielle was standing on one side of him. She then stepped over his back to her previous spot. "It was almost like a purr." she handed his mug back, a smirk on her face.

"Close. Call it a purr if you want. The heat just feels good." Randall rolled his eyes at her and took a sip of the tea.

Danielle just sniggered and opened her book and placed her glasses back on. She read as she sipped the tea. She was getting warm and even slightly sleepy now, but not enough to close the book and go to bed. She felt Randall suddenly shift.

Randall shifted and moved to his right side and propped his head up with his right hand his elbow resting in the cushions and pillows and holding his mug with his second right hand. He could feel his body relaxing even more as the warm whiskey laced tea relax him and burn slightly in his belly. He could feel the heat from the little heater and even the heat from Danielle's body. Her back was to him as she was slightly reclined out on her side. Her head was down as she read the book laid out in front of her.

He eyed her, then with some hesitation he reached out and slowly put his top left hand on her shoulder. She stopped reading in glanced to the side at him. He gave her a small smile. She smiled back and shook her head in slight confusion but didn't say anything. She went back to reading and after a few minutes and after another drink of the tea; he then decided to push it a bit. His second left arm came up and around her waist.

This time she jumped and her head shot up. She looked fully at him uncertainty and confusion in her face.

Randall just gave another smile. She then relaxed and pulled her glasses off and laid them down to rest her eyes. She glanced back at him again. This time his smile turned into a half grin.

She chucked softly, but didn't move or shrug his hands off. Danielle picked her glasses back up and put them back on and resumed reading.

Randall went back to drinking the tea, but didn't remove his hand or arm.

It was them both realized that both were testing each other, getting used to more then passing touches.

It was new for both of them. For Randall to overcome his past beliefs of humans. For Danielle to get past Randall's far from human looks. Both finally realizing that they were a like in so many ways.


	31. Chapter 31

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in (now) 2002. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Ok, I want to say that some of these happenings are over a course of a few weeks. **

**Chapter 31**

XXX

"Okay, so now tell me..." Danielle picked her black horse-shaped piece off the board. "How does the Knight move,"

"It makes an blocked J, which can go sideways, upside down, or up," Randall explained as he moved his own white horse piece in said directions.

Danielle watched. "A J." she said then rolled her eyes. "A J. That's how I missed it. It gave you that one extra square."

Randall just smiled.

"And clearly it jumps the same."

Randall nodded. "Yes. It's the same only instead of the L here in this world, it's a J in mine."

"Ok. What about the other rules?"

"There are none. I was using the J instead of the L and other plays used back home." Randall said as he smirked at Danielle.

It was her day off, and he had finally offered to teach her what he had been using to always win against her. Needless to say she wasn't that amused when he pointed out the only move that he had been doing differently, other then the different strategies.

She glared at the broad. "A J." She said more to herself.

Randall chuckled, "Don't worry so much. You still played great despite the fact we were using two different rules. It made the games…. interesting." This time he looked up at her, staring into her eyes.

Danielle felt heat rise in her cheeks but she didn't blush. She glanced away then back at him. "So Randall…. I think I've asked before…what made you like chess?"

Randall stared at her then looked back down at the pieces on the board. He began to rearrange the pieces back in order to show her a play. "My grandfather before he died. He loved chess. Besides there wasn't too much to do in the little town so I ended up watching a lot of the older monsters play chess sometimes." Randall looked back up at her and smiled, "I like chess, but there are other games I like better."

"Such as?" Danielle said missing the undertone meaning with his statement.

Randall sniggered and shook his head, "Other games."

She still looked at him confused, him staring back at her until it slowly sunk in. Her blush rose fast and in double. Embarrassment at what he was faintly implying with his looks and words and her embarrassment at being slow understanding at what he was meaning. She looked away then back down at the board. How could she get him back? "Other games? I know a few of them, but the ones _I _know may be a bit mature for you." She was still blushing though she was slowly getting her confidence back. She glanced at Randall across from her and smiled to herself, when she saw his look. He had a slight look of shock and amusement on his face. She lifted her head and smile at him, letting him know that though he can embarrassment her she can also take it in stride and have good come backs as well." Okay. Well, then, it's your turn. You should make your move," she said, gesturing toward the chessboard.

For a moment Randall said nothing and then he replied, "Yes, you're right about that."

She gave him a glance and found him openly looking her over. Her eyes widened and she shifted uneasily. Randall merely smiled briefly before moving his pawn.

The rest of the game was played in silence.

XX

A few days later when Randall came out of his room the sight of Danielle setting the small table greeted him.

"What? No falling asleep at the table this morning?" Randall asked.

It had become a regular occurrence for him to see her dozing at the table on the days she had both work and school or school and volunteer work.

"Nope. Going to bed early last night helped."

"And the two cups of tea and whiskey." Randall said with a laugh.

"That too. So did you sleep good?"

"I sleep good." Randall took two coffee cups down from the cabinet and poured coffee into them.

"No sugar or cream for me this morning." Danielle said she pulled on an oven mitt and opened the oven's door.

"You sure?" Randall asked. There was only two times that she took sugar or cream in her coffee and that was in the morning and one at night the rest of the time she drank it black.

"Yes. I had enough sugar in my tea last night and these," she removed a pan from the oven, "will be sweet enough."

Randall put the mugs on the table and went to her side, standing close to her. "What are they?" He looked down at the pan.

Danielle tried to step away, but she was caught between the counter at her back and Randall in front of her. "Um, muffins," she said looking him in the eyes then glanced away, "Lemon poppy seed muffins."

"They smell wonderful," he said. He reached out and with a large round padded finger brushed some of her reddish hair away from her eyes.

She jumped slightly then cursed herself for acting that way as her eyes met his before she pressed against the counter and slipped around him, barely brushing against him.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, careful to keep his tone merely quizzical.

"No," she said, proud at herself when she kept her voice even. "I just, um, need to get a plate to put these on."

He nodded and reached up to the cabinet and opened the cabinet door and selected a plate and handed it to her. She nodded her thanks and Randall watched her as she removed the muffins from their pan, he then retook his earlier position. She placed the pan in the sink and lifted the plate.

"Excuse me," she said pointedly and took a half step forward, almost bumping into him.

He smiled and stepped back, allowing her access to the table.

She set the plate on the table and sat down as Randall moved to his stool. "Are you hungry this morning?"

"I'm starving," he grinned.

Danielle froze for a moment and Randall watched her lift her head in a clearly defiant gesture.

"Well, then, you'd better eat your breakfast," she admonished.

"If you insist," he said. He reached out and picked up a muffin and broke it apart.

She blinked at him uncertainly, and then grinned herself. "You keep on, and I'll just take you up on what you keep throwing at me," she grinned in pride as she picked up a muffin and did the same and broke it apart. She smirked as she heard him choke and then take a drink of coffee. "It serves you right," she said. "You can dish it but you can't take it."

Randall was finally done with his coughing spell and got the soft bite of muffin down. He looked at her and grinning and smug across the table. "Oh I can take it. But the question I'm going to ask you is, are yousure _you _can take it?" he said as seriously as he could.

"I don't know. You just may have to show me you can first, then I'll decide if I can take it." Danielle fired right back.

Randall laughed then, Danielle soon joining in.

Danielle finally had to stop, gasping for air as she felt her lungs tighten. She took a minute to get her breath back as Randall looked at her in worry. "As…" she took a breath, "as much as I'd love to stay here and fire retorts and flirt with you all day Randall, I've got to get going."

Randall chuckled. "Go on then. I got the dishes."

Danielle sniggered though she didn't really know what was funny. She picked up the rest of her muffin and finished it as she finished gathering up her things. Danielle snatched the rest of her coffee and chugged it down, griming at the cooling coffee. "Don't fix anything for dinner tonight. I'm gonna bring back something from the restaurant."

Randall nodded, "Gotcha. What time did you say you get off today?"

"Eight. Ray moved my time around on me. I think he did it to piss me off." Danielle growled lightly.

Randall walked over to her and patted her on the head. "There there."

Danielle glared at him. "I'm not some pet Randall. Knock it off."

Randall just smiled at her. "Empty threats Danielle, that's all you have."

"Well one day I'll get you back."

"I can't wait."

Danielle snorted though she smiled again. She waved to him and hurried out the door.

As seemed to be habit for her the professor was just closing the door as Danielle arrived. He glared at her, "This is getting rather old Miss DeMarsh…."

Danielle mumbled an apology as she quickly took her seat.

Liss grinned at her. "Long time no see old friend."

"I saw you Tuesday." Danielle said, as she pulled out her notebook, ready to take some serious notes.

"I know and I missed you."

Danielle rolled her eyes and began to take her notes. "You coming into work tonight?"

"Yep. I have to. Mardi Gras is next month. You going?" Liss asked as she wrote her notes down this time.

"Uhhh," Danielle did a quick mental calculate, "Fat Tuesday? It falls on the 12th next month right?"

Liss nodded, "Yep. I'm going. Even going to dress up this time."

"I may. Randall may like to go. Bet he never seen anything like Mardi Gras before." Danielle couldn't help the small smirk.

"Most Northerners haven't. So you going here in BR or going down in New Orleans?" Liss asked as she flipped her notebook over.

"Maybe New Orleans if some things work out." Danielle said.

"Let me know. I'd like to meet him at least once. You keep hiding him from me. "Liss pouted.

Danielle winced inwardly. She was running out of lies and reasons. If they did go, true he would fit in. Most people would be too drunk to really notice him. They could claim he was wearing a costume. She'd have to get him to wear a bit more, but maybe a long cape and a mask would do. Help cover him up some. That way, if Liss did run across them, and Danielle had no doubt that she would find them, everything would be covered and Liss would be none the wiser.

And if he could walk on his leg by Mardi Gras, the confusion and noise and then the almost empty streets the next day would give them good cover for her to sneak him down there and even have a bit of fun before she took him to her sister's the next night so that he could go home.

Home.

Her heart sank some at that. He would be going back next month. It almost wasn't fair. She was growing to really like him and now he would be leaving in a matter of time. She sighed heavily. She would really miss him.

XXX

It was a little after nine when she arrived home. Danielle walked into the house carrying a bag and a handful of mail. She looked around. Randall was nowhere to be seen, but her dog and cat was asleep on the couch. That meant they had been fed recently. Not thinking of it she walked into the kitchen and put the bag down on the table and began to look through her mail." Bill, bill, junk, junk…Gah!" She jumped in surprise when Randall materialized in a flash in front of her. She dropped most of the mail on the floor as he chuckled. "Randall! I hate when you do that!"

"I know…"

Danielle growled as she smacked him with a letter.

He backed off laughing as he bent over and picked the fallen mail up and laid it on the table. Danielle just glared at him one last time, before she looked at the letter she had smacked him with. She snorted in amusement when she saw that it was as fundraiser paper asking for support to save the reptiles. "Why don't you get some plates? I'll have to heat these up in the microwave some. I had Martin keep this in one of the smaller heaters since it wasn't so busy tonight."

Randall nodded and walked over and got two plates and silverware. While he did this Danielle tossed the letter on the table with the others then opened the brown paper bag. The smell of sharp hot spices, rice and onions and spicy pork come floating up out of the bag.

Randall looked up eagerly as he came over, placing the plates on the table. "What is it this time?"

"Well, I got me a seafood Jambalaya and you a regular Jambalaya, two Maque Chou and you some Boudin."

"And…I know what the Jambalaya is, but what is the other two?" Randall asked as he stared at her.

Danielle chuckled as she scooped the food out on the plates, "Maque Chou has corn and tomatoes, onion, and spices and the Boudin is a sausage with onions, cooked rice, herbs." She then put Randall's plate into the microwave and after a few minutes handed it to him. "Go ahead and eat." she told him while she heated hers up. She was turned away but had a small knowing smile on her face. After a few minutes she heard choking as Randall struggled with the Boudin. She giggled as she turned to face him. "Having trouble Randall?"

He glared at her but managed to get it down. "You could have warned me!"

"And miss out on my fun? Try some water. It might help. If not get some milk." Danielle said as she sat down with her plate and began to eat.

Randall scrambled to the sink for a glass of water while Danielle giggled at him mercilessly while she tried to eat. He finally came back and say down with the water while still glaring at her.

"You have to admit that is good. Besides, it's not that hot." She said while smiling. "Mix it with the Maque Chou. It'll help."

"Not hot? Then you try it." Randall said spearing a piece of the sausage.

"No. I told you…I haven't ate pork since I was 13. Besides, I know I can handle it." Danielle said.

"One bite this one time won't hurt. I'm sure the pig won't mind. And I want to see it to believe it." Randall held the fork out to her.

"No. I told you-"

"Chicken. I think you can't handle it yourself. Some Cajun you are!" Randall said while grinning, baiting her.

Danielle's eyes flashed, "I have ate spicier dishes then that _mild_ sausage right there. I don't have-"

"Then eat it, chicken" Randall said while grinning.

Danielle growled then snatched the fork away, then to his surprise stabbed a few more pieces. "If I'm going to do this I'm going to do it good!" she then popped the hot sausage into her mouth and slowly chewed it.

Randall watched her carefully. There had been a look of disgust but no look of discomfort from the hot spices. She swallowed the bite. There was no scramble for water or anything.

She then smiled at him. "I've been eating spicy food since I was little Randall. It don't bother me anymore." she then reached out and patted his head, "There, there."

The rest of the meal was finished in silence.

Xxx

Randall was stretched back out on the floor about a week later. And again Danielle was working at his leg. The bruises were just about gone and they were leaving the cast off longer. And there was almost no pain when Danielle would massage the calf. She was also doing it for much longer now.

He had his head resting on a pillow facing the TV. He was supposed to be watching it, but he couldn't help rolling his large eyes back to watch Danielle. Tonight her hair was pulled back in a thick braid to keep it out of her way, though a few strands had escaped. She was leaning against his side, her side pressed against his, while she rubbed his leg. Her attention was completely on his leg as she worked with it. She pressed and rolled her thumbs against the muscles. He hid a low groan. She didn't hear it but she felt it. She looked up and at him. "Did that hurt?"

He smirked, "No. Just felt real good."

She chuckled softy and went back to massaging his leg. She had actually finished about five minutes ago, but she had continued to rub his leg. She then moved up his leg to his knee then ran her fingers over were the smooth thick skin began to have the smooth shiny scales. They were not the dull shade they once were when she had first met him. They were now healthy and shiny. She studied the lay out of scales on his upper leg then his side. They didn't over lap each other, but laid very slightly spaced apart to where she could see his skin in between each scale. She ran her fingers over the smooth scales. They were warm from his body heat. Danielle played her fingers against his backbone no longer feeling the sharp ridges of his spine. She marveled at the complex pattern of blue, teal and dark green colors. They flashed in color in the light every time he took a breath. Not really noticing what she was doing, she ran her fingers down his spine. Right away she noticed that he took a deep breath and shuddered slightly. She looked up and her eyes widened when she saw that he had turned his head to look at her. His eyes were staring at her intently and seemed slightly darker. She then looked down at where her hand was. It was resting on his spine.

She gasped and pulled her hand away. "Sorry, Randall! I didn't realize!"

Randall chuckled deep still watching her. "That's ok, I should have told you, but… y'know" he grinned, trying not to look smug. Danielle was embarrassed and tried to be annoyed with him and herself, after all it was her fault but couldn't quite pull it off as she stared back at him. "I really am sorry." she blushed, but also couldn't bring herself to move.

Randall smiled, "It's ok. It felt good," he didn't tell her however just _how _good it had felt.

When she had been touching his leg then sides then running her hand down his back he had to clench his jaw to keep a low moan from escaping. Didn't she even know what she had been doing to him?

"Still-"

"Unless you are regretting it…don't worry about it. Are you regretting?" It now was becoming another test without directly asking or even telling. His smiled faded and a serious look came over his face. He held her eyes with his own gaze.

Danielle blushed deeper but met his eyes head on. "No. I'm not."

His wide smile then retuned, "Then don't worry about it."

She nodded then cleared her throat. "Think you can stand on your leg?"

He nodded, "I can try." Then gracefully twisting and rolling he stood up and gingerly put weight down on his leg. There was no wince of pain, only discomfort.

She smiled, "Very good. Let's leave the cast off tonight but keep it wrapped. But for now, if you are careful, we can leave the ace bandage off until you go to bed."

Randall nodded and tried walking. It felt odd after almost three months in a cast, but it felt good to be out of it.

Danielle picked up the bottle of oil. "Well what do you want…. coffee or tea?"

Randall turned to face her. "How about some more of that tea and whiskey."

Danielle laughed, "Addictive stuff isn't it?"

Randall nodded, "Especially the way you make it. Do you need any help?"

"If you want to start the kettle while I put this away and wash my hands." Randall nodded and Danielle went to put the oil away and washed her hands. When she came back Randall had the kettle out and already heating and had two mugs out. She went to the refrigerator and pulled out the bottle. Soon the kettle was whistling and she mixed the tea and whiskey.

Randall carried his into the living room and settled back down on the floor. Though the couch was softer, it was also too short to really stretch out. Besides, he had a plan and it would work better if he were on the floor. He waited until he saw Danielle start toward her chair. "Come sit down here."

Danielle froze then turned to face him. "What?" she stared down at him.

"Sit down here with me. I wouldn't bite." He then grinned at her flashing all his sharp teeth.

Danielle rolled her eyes though she smiled, "Why am I not comforted by that grin? Especially when you do that?" she still laughed and instead of sitting down in her chair she did walk over and sit down next to him.

Randall chuckled, "I promise not to bite…" he said as she settled down. "Unless you want me too."

Danielle took a drink of tea, and then snorted, "You bite me, and I'll tie you up by your tongue in the barn."

"Ouch."

"Yes ouch." Danielle agreed. She then smiled, "But I might let you bite me later."

Randall began to laugh into his tea.

They both soon settled into a comfortable silence as they drank their tea. Danielle even going as far as leaning her back against Randall's side, while Randall went as far as to pick at the band in her hair until he had it off and her hair unraveled. She had rolled her eyes but didn't say anything while he petted her hair and ran thick fingers through the ends.

XX

It was coming up to the middle of January, when Randall stopped by Danielle's study one night. He stood silently in the doorway and watched her at her desk. Danielle was hunched over her chemistry book, chewing her pencil as her eyes narrowed at the book as if doing so would hurt the book's feelings and send it home in tears.

Randall grinned as he watched her grumble to herself. He watched and studied her. Her auburn hair was loose and in her frustration with her homework she had messed it up big time. Occasionally she would pull her black framed reading glasses off and rub her eyes then replace them and work her way through the exam paper. He saw that whenever she got annoyed at a problem, she would run her fingers through her messed up hair. He chuckled deep in his throat when he saw her do it again.

Danielle rubbed her hazel brown eyes tiredly. _Exam stress_, she thought resignedly, glancing again at the half-completed chemistry practice exam spread before her. Try as she might question twelve would not give up its secrets, and the fact that she had gone through this question's exact twin earlier that day gave her an immense feeling of pent up frustration. She grumbled and growled and then ran her hands through her hair as she gave the paper a look of disgust. Ugh, she hated _Ka_ questions anyway.

She suddenly tensed. There were fingers pressing against her own back the same way she had pressed her own to Randall's back. She twisted her head. Speak of the devil. Randall was standing behind her two of his four hands pressing against her spine.

"Wha-"

"Thought you needed a hand, or in my case four." He laughed.

Danielle laughed. "Too bad that wouldn't help the practice exam."

"No…but they might relive some stress." he moved his hand to her shoulders and pressed harder into the tense and sore muscles.

Danielle closed her eyes, allowing him to press and rub the shoulders. He never moved his hands away and continued to rub and try to relax the tight muscles. She relaxed and hummed in pleasure herself. She was brought out of the light fog she had fallen in when she head a soft chuckle. Her eyes snapped open and she tuned to look at up at Randall.

He was smiling gently at her.

"Heh," she stood and blushed, "Thanks."

He continued to smile at her, "My pleasure."

"Well, um, heh, it helped." she glanced back at the paper then the time. "I think I can use a break. How about I teach you how to make Pane'ed pork chops?"

"Sounds good. But I have to ask," Randall followed her out of the room with a slight limp. He wasn't wearing the cast only an ace bandage. He hadn't been wearing the cast for a week now. His leg was much stronger and he was walking with no pain only a tenderness that made him limp. "Why do you make the meat if you don't eat it?"

"Because Beb, you do eat meat and I'll eat the red beans and rice. Besides I like cooking and I didn't cook much before you came. It's not fun cooking for one," she said as she pulled out the pork chops coved with buttermilk that she had put in the fridge the night before then washed her hands.

"So…how can I help?" Randall asked after he washed his own hands.

"Well, if you get the cutting board and the bag of the bread crumbs from the box, I'll tell you what to do," she said. When he did and set it on the counter she came over to watch him, "Spread breadcrumbs onto the cutting board." she then handed him a mallet, then a pork chop that she had just sprinkled with salt and pepper. "Lay the pork chops on top of the bread crumbs. Pound the pork chop with that and turn it over several times to coat with the breadcrumbs. DON'T get crazy with it either Randall."

Randall gave her a small grin and then began to pound the pork chop with the wood mallet turning it several times. When he was done she handed him another and then washed the bowl out then put some oil in her iron skillet.

"All right, fry them until golden brown, about 10 minutes on each side." she said as she put a pot on to cook the rice and beans.

Randall nodded as he watched her. "And that's it?"

"Yep. I picked a easy one tonight."

"You didn't think I could handle it," he said with an accusing tone.

Danielle laughed softly. "It's not that." she then reached out and tapped his nose. "I have complete faith in you to handle a hard dish. Maybe next time."

He smiled at her then turned to lay the meat down in the now hot oil. The sizzling meat released a mouth-watering aroma almost immediately.

"Well, it seems you have it here. When the water is boiling, add the rice and beans. I'm going to grab a shower."

"Go on…I got it, I am not-" he began.

"-a child," she finished with a grin. She turned away and started toward her bedroom. "Believe me," she said under her breath, "I've noticed."

Randall poked the meat cautiously with the tongs, after ten minutes exactly, he turned the meat.

He heard the slight padding of feet in socks and turned to see Danielle finish braiding her hair. She'd changed into a fresh green shirt and a pair of jeans.

It wasn't until she finished her hair and looked at him questioningly that he realized he was staring.

"What?" she asked. "Yeah. Leave my hair in the braid tonight," she winked at him.

"Um… I think it's done," he said.

"Great," she said with a smile.

After the dinner and she washed the dishes, they both settled down on the floor together that was now becoming a habit for them. Danielle leaned back against Randall's belly since he was lying on his side propped up by some pillows. "I think, that if you can walk without even a slight limp by the 11th of next month, I have an idea of how to get you down to New Orleans."

"Yes?" Randall looked up at her from the circles he had been drawing into the blue carpet.

"Well, if you are up to it and would like to see it, the 12th is Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras. It'll be the best time to get you down there without too much trouble."

"Mardi Gras?" he had seen the advertisements and commercials and had even read about it. "I am interested in this Mardi Gras. It sounds quite interesting."

Danielle chuckled, "You don't know the half of it. Well, if you want to go, you can go as your self."

"What? Woul-"

"Costumes Randall. A lot of people will be wearing costumes and with a few added accessories like a cape and a mask people will think you are just wearing a very nice costume." Danielle smirked.

"A costume? It could work. And would you be wearing one?" he asked as he began to draw circles on her back over her shirt.

"I have a old one that I wore when I was 18. I think I can still wear it. I'll have to see…" she trailed off as his hand began to trace the tattoos that was hidden by the shirt.

"See what?" Randall chuckled.

"See if it still fits." she finished her sentence. "What is your fascination with those tattoos?"

"I like them."

"I see." She fell quiet. After a while, he stopped and dropped his hand.

"So, the 12th then?" He looked over at her.

Danielle bit her lip and nodded, "The 12th." She said feeling a heaviness settle in her, not knowing that the monster beside her was feeling the same thing.


	32. Chapter 32

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in (now) 2002. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Ok…can anyone one say sexual tension? **

**Chapter 32**

XXX

Danielle was looking around in one of the costumes shops. She had two black cloth masks, and was now looking through the capes. She was looking for the longest one she could find while Lissette was in the dressing rooms trying on costume herself.

"Hey D…" Liss walked out.

Danielle turned and her jaw dropped. "You are not seriously thinking of wearing that?"

"What? I like it." Liss said as she walked over to the mirrors.

Danielle walked over, "Liss…" she hissed, "You're basically naked!" The costume if one could call it a costume was mainly a purple and green bikini with a sheer skirt that didn't cover anything.

"I forgot how much a prude you are." Liss said as she stuck on long mocha colored leg out. "It's fun and sexy."

"Liss…please…" Danielle said.

"Alright, alright. Beside I do think it'll be too cold for this anyway." Liss then smiled at Danielle, "I might get it anyway…. for Michael."

"Spare me." Danielle turned away, though she laughed.

"So," Liss went back in the fitting room, "You decide where you are going to Mardi Gras at?" she asked as she changed out of the costume and tried on another.

"Yeah. We're going to New Orleans."

"We? So Randall is going?" The bikini top flew out at Danielle.

Danielle caught it. "Yeah, he's…. going home the day after." her voice broke just slightly.

"Going home? You mean back north?" Liss peeked her head out of the room.

"Something like that."

"I'm sure you'll see him again…"

"No. I don't think so."

Liss sighed and pulled her head back into the room and finished pulling on the next costume. She then came out of the fitting room.

Danielle looked up from the black masks she was holding. A smile appeared on her face. "Much better, Liss."

Lissette was now wearing a black and red can-can girl dress. She turned, the skirt flaring out. "Think so?"

"Yes. Much!"

"Ok then. I'll get it." Liss then reached out and wrapped Danielle in a hug. "I'm sorry Danielle. I guess you really do like him."

Danielle nodded, "Yeah…I like him…very much."

"Then tell him!"

"What!" Danielle pulled away. She began to giggle in nervousness and shock. Imagine her telling Randall! She liked him, but…. it was too confusing.

"Well, why don't you?" Liss asked as she put her hands on her hips.

"It's just…I…it's too complicated. Even if I did…he may laugh…or even if he didn't…. why would he stay? He…" Danielle's eyes hardened, "He can't stay ok? I don't think he'd want to. He has wanted to go home for the past few months. This may be his only chance and I will not stop him if he wants to go so bad."

"Oh D…you got it bad."

"I do not! Now drop it!" she tuned away and ripped down a long purple, green and gold velvet cape.

"Take it easy, ok, D?" Liss said. "Go and have a nice time with Randall and stop worrying!" She wrapped an arm around Danielle's shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "It'll be fine. And if he does leave…then this will the best send off he'll ever have!"

Danielle smiled. _Better then the first one when he arrived._ She thought to herself. "Thanks Liss. I shouldn't have got so attached to him. It's my own fault. I'll get over it."

Liss smiled and shook her head. "You try to be so indifferent. Now what I want you to do is have a great time at Mardi Gras. Let your hair down so to speak and have bit of fun. It's Mardi Gras for heaven's sake and you know what happens at Mardi Gras! The same thing that happens to all young people that is unsupervised."

"Young people?" Danielle laughed. "Liss, both you and Randall are only two years older than me!"

"Yeah, but you act like you're eighty-two," Liss laughed. "You act so responsible all the time that I think you've forgotten how to act like a hip, twenty-something."

"Do people still say 'hip'?" Danielle rolled her eyes and they both laughed.

Suddenly Lissette looked serious. "Tell me you have a decent costume," she said.

"Yeah. The one I wore to Mardi Gras when I was 18."

"Does it still fit?" Liss asked.

"I think so. I mean I was a bit bigger when I was 18. So I think it'll still fit." Danielle said thoughtfully.

Liss then grinned. "That one? Ohh he's going to love it. I love it. I'm so glad you got it. You was wearing it when you got those tattoos huh?" Liss asked as she began to look through the masks.

"Uh huh." Danielle ran her hand over the soft cape that she had pulled down.

"So what is Randall going as?"

"A giant lizard. Maybe a lizard king." Danielle sniggered.

"Ohh very original. But…might I suggest…."Lissette then turned around and plopped a huge purple, green and gold jester's hat down on Danielle's head. "A king's jester."

Danielle burst out laughing as she jingled the bells at the end. As much as she enjoyed the thought, she seriously doubted Randall would like to wear the jester hat. She then said so.

Liss shook her head, "No. The jester hat. If he still wants to leave then he can be the jester. The fool."

XXXx

Randall looked at himself in the long mirror in Danielle's bedroom and then turned to glare at her.

She was holding back laughs and giggles. "Don't look at me like that. It was Liss's idea."

"Why…. am I not surprised? I look like a dork." Randall grouched.

Danielle bit her lip trying not to laugh, "No Randall. You look like a cute dork."

He blushed lightly then glanced back at himself in the mirror. "I can tolerate the cape, even the mask…but why that hat?" he then pulled the two masks that Danielle had managed to stitch together to cover his wide face off.

"Well, we have to cover your fronds," Danielle walked up and took the hat off and brushed her fingers against the first one. "What are they really for?"

Randall smiled slyly, "You're the one studying to be a veterinarian, what do you think they're for?"

Danielle looked at them then him, "I-I well I've noticed that they flare up or flatten against your head when you are surprised and angry and such….kinda like ears. But they are not ears are they?"

Randall was still wearing a small devious smile as he shook his head. "No…. they're not ears."

"But they could help you dissipate body heat?"

Randall then nodded, his fronds moving with his nodded. "They do that. What else to you think?"

Danielle shrugged and reached up and gently took a hold of the first one. It was warm just like his body. All in all they felt like boneless arms the skin was just as smooth.

"Well?" he asked as he watched her, trying his hardest not to show her that he was enjoying it a bit too much.

"Well…the only other thing I can think of is," Danielle then blushed lightly, "is maybe a secondary gender characteristic…designed primarily to attract…"

Randall's grin grew.

Danielle blinked and snatched her hand away. "You don't mean -?"

Randall grinned knowingly as he began to laugh at her.

Danielle's blush deepened and she shoved the jester's down on her head and over her eyes. "Now I feel like the fool!"

Randall's laugher died off and she felt the hat being lifted up. She found herself looking into the bright emerald green eyes of Randall. "No. You're not a fool." He then brushed her blushing cheek with a finger. She had felt his hands when she had held them a few times, but she had never truly realized how soft they were until now. When he ran the large rounded finger pad against her cheek, she could feel the fine very soft velvet ridges. He stroked it against her cheek, both watching each other carefully. She slowly leaned forward as his hand then moved to her hair and he wrapped his fingers into the auburn colored hair. She leaned closer toward him and just as she closed the distance the phone rang.

They both jumped. Randall pulled his hand away as Danielle gave him a small smile. "I…uh better get that…." she then pulled the hat off her head and handed it to him, then slipped out of the room to grab the phone from the kitchen to save herself the embarrassment.

Randall looked over at Bread and Butter lying on Danielle's bed. The old dog was asleep, but Butter was looking at him. "I hate that phone," he told the cat.

Butter just looked at him unblinking.

XXX

"What?" Danielle snapped into the phone.

The caller hesitated for a second. "Hey D? I uhh…found that number to the motel that you wanted." Liss figured that she'd probably interrupted something good.

Danielle closed her eyes and took a breath. "Ok," her annoyance was gone and she was now blushing again as she realized what had happened and what she almost had done. She scribbled the number down and half listened to Liss prattle away on the other end. Randall came out of her bedroom and rolled his eyes and gave her a smile when he heard Liss on the other end. He poured a cup of coffee and slid it to her. Danielle smiled at him picked it up and took a sip.

_Why don't you just kiss him and get it over with?_ A small voice asked as she watched him pour coffee into another mug.

_Because…beca-_

_You can't think of a good reason can you?_

_Yes I can. He's leaving in one week and it's not good to become attached to him like that._ The voice backed off and Danielle smiled in victory. "Yeah. Thanks Liss. I got to go. I'm going to have to give them a call." She hung up.

"That girl talks too much." Randall commented as he leaned against the counter.

Danielle nodded. "Yes she does, but she has a heart of gold. I love her."

"A heart of fool's gold, "Randall mumbled, still slightly annoyed from having to hide in Danielle closet for a few days when she was sick. He had no choice and Liss had helped out a lot, but it still bothered him.

Danielle sniggered then looked down at the number. "I figured we'll arrive down in New Orleans early in the morning. It'll still be crowded, but if you know how to navigate it it'll be easy. I'll check us into the room." Danielle then looked up, "Since it's Mardi Gras, rooms will be tight. We'll have to share the same room…."

Randall looked at her and shook his head in amusement. "Whatever. It's not like we'll be sleeping in the same bed, now will we?"

"Heh. True. Anyway, we'll hang out close to the motel, and then go to one of the night parades, you can wear your costume and I'll wear mine…"

"And what is yours?"

"It's a small surprise."

"That's not fair."

"Life isn't fair, besides I still have to see if it fits. I found it last night." Danielle said.

"What are the colors?"

"Black, gold, purple and green. Like yours."

"Hmm. So we go to the parade, what then?" Randall asked as he took a drink of the coffee.

"We'll go back to the motel and maybe I'll show you around the next day until tomorrow evening. Then go to my sister's." Danielle said looking away then back at him.

"What will you do while I wait?" Randall asked.

"I'll stay there as long as I can. If you haven't gone through by the time I leave…. and if for some reason you can't make it through, or if something happens and you can't go back…" Danielle met Randall's eyes, "you can always come back. I'll stay at the motel one more night."

"You mean…"

Danielle nodded, "I'm a friend right? What kind of a friend would I be if for some reason you can't get home if I left you down there?"

Right then, Randall did something that was becoming more common; he momentarily abandoned his impersonal barriers and enveloped her in all four arms burying his face into her hair, feeling her own arms come up and around him.

XXX

Danielle finished tying the strings in the back of the costume and then turned to look at herself in the mirror. She smiled, proud that she had indeed lost weight since she was 18. She turned slowly smirking at herself. The black skirt came down to her knees and poofed out. It was a dress, but it was one that she could tolerate. She rubbed the front of the dress that had a panel of purple, gold and green diamond patterns.

Her smile then faded. Tonight was the last night. Tomorrow evening they would drive down to New Orleans, and the next day Randall would go home. She sighed heavily and took the costume off and got dressed. She folded the costume up and packing it into her bag. She tossed the bag into a corner and walked out of the room and down the hall into the living room. Randall was on the couch mindlessly clicking through the channels. Danielle leaned against the wall watching him. He had cooked dinner for her this time. Actually he had surprised her with it even talked her into eating a small piece of chicken. He had told her that though everything had different names and looks a lot of the food from both worlds tasted the same, though there were some thing prepared different, and that's what he did. He had made her some kind of dinner from his World. It had been a pleasant surprise and the meal had been surprisingly good.

"Hey Randall?"

Randall twisted her head around to look at her. "Yeah?"

"You up for a walk?" Danielle walked over to the door. It wasn't that cold tonight so her sweater would work just fine.

Randall stood up and nodded, "I'd love to." he then followed her out the door.

They walked down the road, enjoying the fresh air and watched the setting sun in the distance. Randall reached out at the same time Danielle did and took each other's hands. They both smiled but not a word was said as they walked on. Randall began to snicker when they got to the spot were the LaGide's used to live.

Danielle looked over at Randall. "You really are proud of yourself huh?"

Randall gave her a sly look, "Oh yeah, very much."

Danielle just laughed and ran her fingers in a bold move across his crest on his head just in front of his first frond. He closed his eyes but opened then again when she moved her fingers away.

"So…do you have any idea on what you are going to do when you get back?" She asked.

Randall sighed and walked over to a tree and tugged on the low hanging Spanish moss. "I don't know…I may just tell my side of the story and hope for the best. I'll tell them that I had got trapped out here and lost and finally found a door." He shrugged, "Just…hope for the best and pray that they will listen."

Danielle bit her lip, it on the tip of her tongue to say that if he didn't want to go, he could stay, but she bit it back. "What about the other monsters? The…Sullivan and Wazowski? What about them?"

"I-I don't know. I don't think I'll try any revenge…that will do more harm. I think I want to try to start over." Randall looked away and then back at her. "But it won't stop me from giving them a piece of my mind."

Danielle giggled then and walked over to him. She tapped his nose, "I wouldn't expect anything less."

Randall's smile returned and he grabbed her hand and looked down at it and rubbed his thumb into the flesh on the back of her hand.

Danielle shook her head with a smile then nodded her head toward the sky. Randall stopped and looked up. The sky had turned a deep purple and blue, with a tinge of orange and pink. He smiled and moved closer to Danielle. After a few minutes she felt an arm wrap around her waist and a hand settled on her hip.

She looked over at Randall with a raised eyebrow.

He just grinned and a brushed a lock of hair back with another hand. She smiled gently and looked back up at the sky, as Randall did the same, but never removed his arm.


	33. Chapter 33

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in (now) 2002. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Ok…can anyone one say sexual tension still? **

**Ok this had got so long so I had to break it into two parts. So the next will be out tomorrow or Tuesday…but don't forget to review this one too! **

**Also I tried my best with sights and sounds of Mardi Gras and New Orleans. **

**Chapter 33**

XXX

Danielle's alarm clock went off at three-thirty the next morning. She groaned in frustration and whacked it a few times until she finally found the button to make it shut-up. She took a deep breath and ordered herself to get out of bed. The cold tiled floor in the bathroom helped her to wake up a bit, but the warm shower nearly sent her back to sleep."C'mon, Danielle," she chided herself, her accent thicker then normal as she pulled on her jeans a few minutes later. "Wake up! Ya gonna'ave a long drive an' dey." She did her best to shake off the sleep and went to make some coffee. She had told Randall that they had to leave when it was still dark so that no one would see huge purple lizard riding in the truck and so that he wouldn't have to be blended the whole time.

Everything was ready to go, the two bags were by the door. Danielle sighed and while the coffee was brewing she walked down the hallway and opened the door to Randal's room. She peeked in. Randall was curled up into a ball under the covers. She smiled as she walked over and gently tapped his shoulder.

"Randall," she said softly. "Wake up."

He shifted in the bed slightly, but otherwise didn't move.

Danielle smiled and reached out and slid her hand under the covers and lightly ran her fingers against his sides feeling the wonderful smooth texture of his warm scales. She rubbed his side and he let out a soft groan.

"Randall," she said again. "Wake up."

This time, his eyes opened. They were hazy with sleep and he blinked a few times to clear them. "It's time already?" he asked, his voice roughed by sleep. He then cleared his throat.

Danielle nodded. "Yeah. I have coffee on and you can take a shower before we leave."

It was then they both realized that her hand was still on his side under the covers. She didn't snatch her hand way however. She rolled her thumb against his side. Randall sighed and took her hand and gave it a squeeze. He then rolled around and left go of her hand.

Danielle stood up as Randall pulled the covers off and stood up as well. "I'll met you in the kitchen." she said and then walked out of the room.

Randall stretched and then turned and made the bed. After he was done, he made his way to the bathroom and climbed into the shower. He found that he was taking his time, putting it off. He finished up finally and climbed out of the shower. He dried off and soon joined Danielle in the kitchen, he walking quietly. He saw her staring at the snapshot that she had taken of him last night. It was when he was stretched out on the couch after their walk. He had been looking down at the cup of coffee when she had surprised him with it. He had snapped his head up. She told him that she wanted a picture of him, but would make sure no one saw it. Right now it was on the refrigerator. Danielle was sitting in the chair at the table, a cup of coffee in her hands staring at the picture.

He watched as she heaved a sigh and turned away staring down into her coffee.

"Anything interesting in the coffee?" he asked.

Danielle blinked. She lifted her head and looked over at Randall.

Randall smiled at her. "The coffee must be very interesting this morning."

"Yeah it is. A little more then normal." she smiled.

Randall chuckled and made his way over the coffee pot and poured coffee into the mug that she had set out for him. He carried it over to the table. He sat down on his stool. He took a drink. The silence was staring to become crushing.

Danielle looked back up. "Are you hungry? Want to eat anything before we head out? The drive isn't that long but still."

Randall shook his head. "No. I'm not that hungry right now," he said after he took a drink.

Danielle nodded. "All right. I'll get use something when we get to the motel." She finished her coffee and then stood to dig around in her cupboards. She was looking for her two travel-mugs. She growled as she stretched trying to reach them. She dropped back down from standing on her toes. She turned to get a chair to drag over and found Randall right behind her. Like the first time back in November when he got the filters for her, he smiled at her. But this smile was different. It held more. Then like before he rose up putting his lower hands on the counter on either side of her waist then his first set of legs against the doors on either side of her knees. Again he rose up until he had rested most of his weight on his back legs. Like before his body was just a few inches from her as he reached out and easily found the two large travel-mugs. He lowered himself but this time he brushed against her. By the time that he stepped back and handed her the mugs, Danielle felt that her heart was going to pound out of her chest. She held the mugs to her but just stared at him. Again he reached out and touched her hair, running his two thick fingers and thumb through the strands. She wanted to kiss him and not the little pecks she had given him, but…it was too late. She had waited too long. She looked away from his green eyes. "I better get these filled. We need to get to New Orleans before it gets light."

Randall dropped his hand, slightly disappointed and hurt, but he knew she was right. He stepped back and out of her personal space. "Want me to take the bags to the truck?"

Danielle nodded. "Please."

Randall nodded and left her as she began to fill the mugs with coffee to the brim with before screwing the lids on tightly.

She waited until she heard the front door close before she even allowed herself to think as if he could read her thoughts if he was nearby. She stared blindly at the coffee mugs on the counter. Was it possible that she... could she really...

Danielle's breath caught in her throat.

Oh, god. She loved him, she realized. Somewhere along the way, she had actually fallen in love with Randall. Not the loving friendship she had thought it was, but full love. Danielle slumped forward, resting her elbows on the edge of the counter and covered her face with her hands.

She… the one that had vowed not to let a man into her life until she was out of school and settled into a career before she would even consider having any relationship. She had thought she was safe because he was a separate species and was going home. But stupid her…she did. God help her, she loved him.

Danielle felt like crying then. It wasn't fair. She heard the door open and she quickly stood up. He was leaving and there was nothing to do about it. Just have fun tonight, show him around tomorrow and take him to her sister's. She nodded to herself. She's an adult. She'll live with it.

Randall came back in the kitchen just as Danielle handed him the travel mug.

"You ready?" she asked.

Randall nodded, "Yeah…"

She went to the door and grabbed her coat. Randall looked around one last time then with a heavy sigh and one last pet on the heads of the dog and even the cat, he turned and walked out of the house with Danielle close behind.

XXX

Two and a half hours later saw them on the outside of the old city of New Orleans. The first leg of the drive was quiet and even slightly depressing. But both Randall and Danielle decided that it was enough and both began to talk, Danielle telling him about the history of Mardi Gras.

"So today is actually the true Mardi Gras Day?" he asked.

Danielle nodded, "Yep, tourists get it confused. The two some weeks of partying and such is actually the Mardi Gras _season_. Tomorrow is Lent. A lot of people will either be in jail or passed out." Danielle giggled.

Randall snorted, "Sounds like you know from experience."

Danielle laughed harder in embarrassment, "The passed out part yes."

Randall laughed then himself. "So how many times did you go?"

"This will be my third time. The first time was with my first boyfriend. We…well…" Danielle blushed in the dark of the truck.

Randall looked over at her. "You what?"

"Let's just say that I'm very glad I thought to bring protection so that it didn't lead to a bunch of infantile melodrama." Danielle said as she gripped the steering wheel tightly and her cheeks burned with embarrassment. She was so glad that it was still dark so that he didn't see how red she knew that she had turned.

She then glanced over at Randall and her embarrassment grew. He was now grinning at her, she could tell. The sharp white teeth flashing in the dim light.

She growled, "Oh stop it."

Randall turned away sniggering. "And the second time?"

"It was when I went with Margot."

"Yes. When you got drunk and got those tattoos. You know Danielle…I'm stating to see a pattern here." He said still snickering.

Danielle was quiet for a few minutes. "Damn it! You're right. Seems I kept getting in trouble on Mardi Gras. Hope that doesn't happen this time."

"I can't promise that."

Danielle shook her head. "Really… how much trouble can I get in with you?"

Randall looked back over at her and grinned deviously, "You never know Danielle, you never know."

XXX

Randall did the same as he did in Baton Rouge on New Years. He blended but still kept his eyes open. It was early morning but the streets were still full of people. He could careless about the humans. He was too busy taking in the sights of the old buildings, the sharp smells, the colorful flags and the sounds. Danielle drove carefully to the downtown French Quarter. She parked outside a building that looked like a town house. It had old iron railings along two balconies. Randall waited the truck as Danielle went inside. He watched, as she talked to the male human behind the counter. After a few minuets he saw her eyes widen. She then began to fuss. The man shook his head and looked like he was apologizing. He smirked wondering what was going on when she sighed and pulled out her wallet and paid the man and grabbed the key from him. She went back out to the truck. She opened the door and grabbed the two bags. 'Second floor, it's room 15A." She said. Randall didn't say a word, noticing that the human was watching her. He made a noise however. He slipped out the driver's past her, moving on his eight limbs. He brushed against her on propose. He ran his entire 12 ½ foot long body against her side. He stayed low to the ground and slinked around and up the side of the old style building. Randall then waited until Danielle went up the iron stairs and down the open hallway until she got to the said room. She unlocked the door and waited a moment and then went in and closed the door.

Randall had unblended and was looking around. Danielle tossed the two bags on the _one_ bed and sat down. She waited. It didn't take long. He looked at the single full size bed then to her.

She grinned at him in embarrassment. "I sleep on the right side."

"W-what?"

"Looks like we are sharing a bed. So unless you want to hang upside down by your tail in the closet or sleep on the floor…. you better deal with it. There had been a mix up and inside of holding a two bed room they held a single bed." Danielle sighed.

Randall sniggered, "It's…. fine. Really."

"Good. Cause _I'm _not sleeping in the truck or on the floor." Danielle then stood and stretched. "I'm going to get some breakfast and some coffee.

"Thanks." Randall said as he moved to the window and looked out watching the people still moving around outside. Danielle picked up the key and walked out the door. She yawned and went down to the lobby to get breakfast. She wondered if Randall would be opposed to her lying down. After all it was only 6:30 and there really wasn't much to do unless one wanted to get drunk at such an early hour and she didn't.

She grabbed two coffees and two blueberry muffins and headed back to their room. She took her time breathing the scents of the city. She paused outside the door and looked down the street where people were still partying. They would head in soon and a different set of people will come out and then come night fall it will seem that every person in the city will be out on the streets. She smiled then turned back to the door and looked at it thoughtfully. Now came the tricky part, opening the door with two drinks and a plate of food while not dropping any of it. She stared at the door and decided that Randall wouldn't magically open it if she willed it. She kicked it a few times and waited.

"Who is it?"

"Room service, open up." He opened the door, careful not to reveal himself incase anyone was walking by, and Danielle walked in and put down the food. Randall closed and locked the door and picked up a coffee.

"Thanks."

Danielle nodded and picked up her muffin and the coffee and sat down on the bed. She leaned back and watched Randall while she broke the muffin apart. He was staring out the window looking around.

"It'll be best to wait until later if you want to look around," she said.

Randall looked back at her. "I don't know. It is still rather crowded…even if it is Mardi Gras for you, I don't think right now, the cape and hat would cover much. There will be still people to notice that I'm not exactly wearing a costume."

Danielle nodded understanding. "I see. You might be surprised though. Most down here are very open and friendly and welcoming. Mardi Gras or not, it's definitely a place where a 12-foot long, eight-limbed purple talking scaly monster can be made to feel welcome and treated like anyone else. At the most you would probably just get a few looks from the locals."

"I'm still not sure though. And it's 12 ½ feet, thank you very much." Randall smirked.

Danielle snorted as she took a drink of her coffee. "Fine…12 and _½_ feet. You know the way you kept stressing that half foot there, I think you could be compensating for something you think?"

Randall gaped openly at her then a slow devious grin came over his face, "You don't really want to go there, Danielle."

Danielle blushed and looked away for a few seconds. She looked back at him. The same look was on his face. Then a sly look of her own crossed her face. "Randall," she purred.

"Yes?"

"Eat your muffin." With that she tossed the wrapped muffin at Randall. He caught it and began to laugh as he unwrapped it. He took a bite looking thoughtful.

Danielle picked up the remote and turned the TV on and began to flip through the channels lazily, "Wow, they have HBO." She said with no true enthusiasm.

"So you think that most people would barely give me a second look?" Randall asked.

Danielle looked back over at Randall. She nodded, "Actually maybe a second and even a third glance, but more then half the locals would barely _think_ twice once they see you aren't some animal."

Randall blinked. That was something that he hadn't expected. "I thought that most humans would be scared of me. I have an idea of what could happen to me."

"A person is smart…_people_ are dumb. Notice I said _locals_. They are like one big family. It's the tourists that are dumb. The people that don't understand. People here are very tolerant of differences. We love them rather then reject them. Randall, you were tossed into a place where we have seen it all, so not much can shock us. That's why I also didn't think twice about saving you. The most people would say that the smart thing to do would have been let nature take it's course. I did think you were some animal. But as you know me by now…I love animals, I want to help them. So I helped you. Then I found out that you were a sapient being. I was shocked yes, wary, yes, but I accepted you as just another _person. _Most wouldn't have saved you as the animal, but if others had known if you were sapient, then they too would have helped you. What you know could have happened could, sadly, if the wrong people see and know you are here, but not here, not with the locals."

Randall was listening to her. It sounded almost too good to be true. She was basically telling him that with a close group like this he could possibly be accepted, that yes he'd have to be careful still, but he could still have freedom to some degree here, that once they did get past his looks, looks that really wasn't because he was reptilian but just looks in general that they wouldn't care. In the monster world it because he had full reptilian looks it made some other monsters racist.

There was something else she was telling him. She was telling him that while she had thought him strange looking at first she no longer saw him as a different species. But as another person. Just like he now saw her.

But he was still wary of stepping out and seeing if it was true,

Danielle saw this. "It would take awhile get used to the idea. The buildings are close together. You can blend and move around that way or even on the streets. Nobody right now would pay attention to the shifts of your movements. But I didn't lie. The most they would tease you about would be about your accent." Danielle then giggled.

"My accent? What's wrong with it?" Randall asked.

Danielle began to laugh, "You do talk funny…like a Yankee. You should hear yourself when you say 'water' 'father' 'farther' or anything with an 'a' in it."

Randall snorted at her though he smiled, "I talk funny? What about you? 'dat' 'dis'?"

Danielle laughed harder Randall soon joining in.

Xxx

It wasn't until 8 that Danielle and Randall ventured outside. Randall did keep blended. He stayed close to the walls while they walked. It was crowded and he did bump into humans but they never really paid any attention. The ones that did looked around but didn't see anything.

They wandered around the French Quarter, and Randall found that he enjoyed the architecture, they watched the street entertainers, Randall even going as far as copying, while Danielle laughed and giggled, keeping her eyes on his blended and shifting form. She then would usher him into some of the historic buildings that have been turned into museums. She then led him along the next side street up and down Julia Street and they visited the local art galleries. He allowed her to call the shots, showing him the sight and what she thought he might like. She never disappointed.

They then took a streetcar to a calmer aerie where the houses were. She took him to Prytania to see the old Victorian and Georgian homes and then further to St. Charles Avenue to the grand mansions and estates of the Garden District.

She then took him by the famous cemeteries. Danielle then suggested to head back to the motel, to rest for a bit.

Along the way she picked up their dinner and took it back to the room. They ate while they watched the parades from the window. Danielle had grabbed a delicious Cajun mix of different food and Randall found himself savoring every last bit of it. When they were done, they sat back and relaxed. It was about three when Danielle decided that it was time to join back up with the partygoers on the street. Danielle grabbed her bag that had the costumes in it and opened it and pulled out the long velvet cape, mask and hat for Randall. She helped fasten it around his neck and she tied the small ties that she had added to his four legs so it didn't shift and show the rest of his body. When she finished tying the last tie around his leg, which so happened to be the one that had been hurt, she took a moment to rub it. The bruises were gone and it was stronger, he didn't walk with a limp or any pain. It was still tender if he was on it too long, but it was healed and beautiful. The smooth smoky purple was healthy. She then felt some of her hair being lifted up as well. She smiled to herself. Randall and her hair. He had been using every moment she had gotten close to him to touch her hair. She then stood up and handed him the hat and mask.

"Give me about ten minuets and I'll be ready." she said.

Randall nodded watching her. She then went into the bathroom. Randall looked down at the hat and made and face. He scoffed and walked back over to the window. He was feeling slightly nervous. He would be going out there unblended and then there was the fact tomorrow night he would be going home. He glanced back at the bathroom door. He would really miss her.

Danielle again tied the lacing in the back of the costume then glanced at herself in the mirror. The neckline scooped low enough for a little cleavage to be seen. Danielle was painfully aware of this fact, but she maintained an air of grace despite her discomfiture. She pulled on the black shoes. They were supposed to have heels but she had sat down the other day and patiently cut the heels off. She was not going to walk around and kill her feet and possibly break an ankle cause knowing her…she would.

She pulled on her own mask then the fingerless black gloves and now fully stared at herself. She had the knee length black costume dress on and the purple, gold and green diamonds shone on the front. She was also wearing black tights not wanting to completely freeze and show her legs off. The skirt was short enough to annoy her. But then again it was only for one night.

Sighing she walked out the bathroom wondering if Randall would make fun of her or be nice like he was when she had to wear that one green dress to that Charismas party. "Well Randall… here's mine."

Randall turned from looking out the window and his eyes widened and all his thoughts and ideas flew from his head. The costume was simple compared to the ones he had seen all day, but in his private opinion it was by far the best. Her brown hazel eyes stared out at him from behind a gold and purple glitter mask.

She slowly turned so Randall could get a look at all of her. "Well, what do you think?" Randall caught a full view of the light green-scaled tattoo triangle. He walked up to her and circled until he could see the tattoos again. This time he reached out and pressed his finger against the tattoo. He stepped back and grinned at her. "I thought that you hated dresses."

Danielle shook her head. "I can tolerate this one."

"Well…. I do like it."

"Thanks. Tie your mask on and I have something to start our collection of beads off." Danielle picked up one on the bags and while Randall tied on the black mask she pulled out six strands of beads. She placed three around her neck and went up to Randall. She grinned and dropped a shiny purple strand over his large head and so it settled around his long neck, "Purple, Justice." She then did the same with a gold strand, " Gold, Power," then the last. "Green…Faith."

Randall reached back out and just as his hand brushed her cheek, she then shoved the jester's hat down on his head covering his fronds. He pulled his head back and groaned.

"No Randall…. you look great!" she giggled. "Perfect."

He just shook his head but still gave her a smile.

"Well, Randall…ready to go see some Mardi Gras life?"

"Yes…show me." Randall said softly.

Danielle blushed but took him by his top hand and led him out of the room and outside and down into the streets where the mad rhythms of voodoo music beat savagely and shouts of joy and fun could be heard and seen.


	34. Chapter 33 part two

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in (now) 2002. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Ok this had got so long so I had to break it THREE parts. So the next will be out tomorrow but don't for get to review this one too! **

**Also I tried my best with sights and sound of Mardi Gras and New Orleans. **

**Chapter 33 part two**

XXXX

For Randall it was like stepping into an even different world then the one he had been slowly growing used to. The blaring music and blinding lights that filled the street dazzled Randall. And Danielle was right, not too many people paid him much attention. At the most he got _complements _on his 'costume' and his appearance. In fact, many costumed-participants asked for his picture. He turned some of them down but did allow his picture to be taken sometimes. That was then when three locals boxed him. He had been asking Danielle what was on Bourbon Street, after he had heard some younger teen boys mention it. She had flushed under the mask and was trying the best way to tell him and why she was hesitant to take him down there, when some locals heard him talk.

A tall female human that was wearing feathers and fur leaned close to him. She eyed him.

Randall looked at her funny, "Yes?"

"Talk," She ordered.

"What? Are you crazy?" he asked as he moved closer to Danielle.

The human began to laugh, "You are! You a Northern. Come on' sugah' say somen' else!"

Randall grabbed Danielle hand and began to pull her away.

Danielle looked confused, "What's wrong Randall?"

He then proceeded to tell her about what happened.

Danielle began to laugh, "Randall, you are something else. It's your accent. She just wanted to hear you talk. It's those 'a's and 'r's of yours. There isn't anything like this in Monstropolis?"

Randall shook his head.

"Randall…." Danielle smiled at him, "take a deep breath and relax. It's fine."

Randall did that. He began to repeat to himself that this was nothing. Just a big party. He began to relax and the next time that it happened, it was with two men and as woman. They too were dressed in costumes. They all got to talking, Randall going with what Lissette had branded him to be from, the Human world state of Indiana. They did love to hear him talk and the woman who seemed to be much older then Danielle and Randall kept calling him 'sugah' and 'dahlin'. Before they moved on the woman pulled the jester's hat off his head, Randall having only enough time to partly blend his fronds. She dropped a mix of colored beads around his neck as Randall took the hat back and put it back on his head. She then handed him a long plastic wand. It was gold and had a crown on the top. She had then kissed his cheek and told him that every king and jester needed one of them.

Danielle had giggled at his shocked look as they moved on. She was keeping them on the outside of Bourbon Street. She didn't know what Randall's reactions would be with someof the more extreme Mardi Gras indulgences. She kept avoiding the questions he asked, but she kept most of it at bay with the sights and sounds of the East Quarter. Mardi Gras wasn't just about Bourbon Street. Everyone here was also celebrating, costumed, and singin' and dancing', it was just as fun.

They passed by a small restaurant that had their doors open and the smell that hit Danielle the most was her one weaknesses. She smiled at Randall and told him to wait a minute. She disappeared inside and was back out in ten minutes. She was carrying a paper plate that held light golden swirls of fried dough that had purple-hued syrup and was sprinkled heavily with powdered sugar.

"What is it?" Randall asked.

"Funnel cake. The only thing sweet that I can never pass up." Danielle said as she carried it to the side of the building out of the way.

"What's the purple stuff?" He asked, as he smelled it.

"Huckleberry syrup. Not that common to put on funnel cakes, but it's my own little quirk." Danielle dipped her finger in the syrup and held out a syrup-covered forefinger to him, "Here taste some."

Randall looked around and then without thinking wrapped his long forked tongue around her finger and pulled it into his mouth and sucked off the gooey mass.

Danielle hadn't really expected him to do that. She felt the slight scrape of his razor sharp teeth but they never even pierced her skin.

Randall smacked his lips. "You're right…it was good!" he said then realized what he had just done. Randall's eyes widened, but he did a slow and slightly embarrassed smile.

Danielle giggled and had Randall to hold the plate as she tore the funnel cake in half. She handed him one half and she munched on her half, but ended up giving Randall the last half of hers when she saw him eyeing it. She snickered as she licked her own sticky fingers off and then threw the plate away. She then used the water bottle she had been carrying and dampened some napkins and wiped her and Randall's hands off. They both took drinks and Randall opened his mouth to ask Danielle something when there was a high pitch sequel. Both Randall and Danielle winced and then turned.

Lissette Miller had spotted them. She was across the street with a bunch of other girls and men. She waved and Danielle waved back.

"How did she find us?" Randall asked.

"It's Liss. She has a talent for finding things. If you lose a contact out here, be assured she would not only find it, it'd be yours."

Randall looked at her in amazement.

"I'm not joking Randall. She could."

Liss made it across the street and hurried up to them. Her neck had tons of the beads around it. She hugged Danielle and then spun the smaller young woman around. "So I found you!"

Danielle could smell the alcohol she had already been consuming. "Yes!"

Liss let go of Danielle and looked over at Randall. "So…this Randall I'm guessing."

Randall looked up at the tall human female. Her long black hair was swiped up into curls and waves. Her black eyes seemed glassy and the red and black costume barely covered her chest. "Yes. That's me. Randall Boggs." he decided to be polite and stuck his hand out.

Instead of shaking it Liss leaned down and kissed his cheek leaving a big red lipstick stain on his scales. "Wow! What a costume!" she said, "And," she reached out and touched his chest, "it's warm too!"

"Yeah…. I'm really attached to it." Randall deadpanned as he wiped the lipstick away.

Danielle snickered then cleared her throat, "So…what are you doing in the East Quarter? You normally stay on Bourbon Street."

"I wanted to find you and met Randall," she winked at him, "And what are you still doing in East Quarter? Come down to Bourbon Street! You are missing the best part of Mardi Gras!"

"Liss the best part of Mardi Gras is not THAT!"

"Well you are missing the Mardi Gras Indians…I know you love them." Liss laughed.

"What is on Bourbon Street? I keep trying to ask Danielle, but she doesn't want to tell me." Randall asked noticing Danielle send him a glare.

Liss's black eye widened, she then laughed, "Danielle! Shame on you! He's leaving and you aren't showing him the more…. interesting part of the Mardi Gras?" She turned to Randall, "I could tell you, sugah, but it'll be more fun to show you! We can get you more beads!" She reached out and grabbed Randall's hand and began to pull him down the street.

Danielle groaned and then followed.

"Danielle is such a prude sometimes it's not funny," Liss said as she let go of Randall's hand.

Randall waited for Danielle and then they both followed Liss. She stopped once and darted inside a bar and came back out and hand both of them tall blue drinks in plastic cups. "Here." she said. "I bet Danielle never even let you have one. What have you been drinking all day?"

"Water."

Liss slapped a hand to her face, "Oh D! You are hopeless!"

Danielle began to sputter in protest as Randall began to laugh at her. He then took a drink and choked himself. Whatever it was…it was strong! He hadn't even sensed that much alcohol in the drink with his sensitive tongue.

Danielle then laughed him and took a drink of her own and then felt like strangling her grinning friend.

"That's Everclear for you." Liss said as she stole Randall's drink and took a swing and handed it back.

"Everclear? You asked the barkeeper to put _**THAT**_ in our drinks?" Danielle was shocked.

"Yep. Loosen up Danielle. All right! Look! Here comes the 'Indians'!" Liss pointed down the street. Sure enough a parade of a few dozen of humans were walking down the street. Each was dressed in elaborate customs of feathers and beads. Danielle did smile at this. The costumes were always beautiful to her. The heavy suits moved and twisted, the feathers moving in free flowing movements. Both Randall and Danielle watched this quietly, Randall moving up closer to her and even taking her hand.

When they passed, Liss then moved them on down the streets. When they had gotten to Bourbon Street, Randall noticed a big change. It was more crowded and seemed even crazier. He tilted his head to the side. He still couldn't quite tell what was going on. The streets were crowded with countless humans. Too many, he thought, to be congregated into such a small zone. Too many were drunk, and even more seemed just plain stupid. They were all standing around, as if they were waiting for something. He looked to Danielle; pretty hazel eyes were wide behind her mask. She took a drink of her drink, a big one, he noticed. It seemed she was trying to calm herself. He took a drink of his own, and licked his lips tasting the melon liquor and rum and the ethanol like taste of the Everclear.

Randall's green eyes went back to the street as the floats came down, all decorated merrily and extravagantly and he was curious about them. The humans riding upon them pelted those in the crowd with some sort of projectile.

A woman on the float tossed beads at him. His hand shot up and caught the necklace. After about fifteen minutes he had a fair amount.

It was then that he noticed it seemed to be a game. To get as many beads as possible and to even toss them back to people. Danielle came up beside him slightly giggling now, more relaxed. She too had quite a few beads draped around her neck. Though Liss on the other side seemed to have even more.

"This is hopeless." He said to Danielle, "What is the point of this? And how can some of them have so many necklaces?" He asked, noting a woman with a thick mane of beads. "How did she-?"

Danielle began to giggle even harder, glad he hadn't noticed why, though all he had to do was to really pay attention and to even look up.

Randall shrugged as he swirled the strands on his hand, then tossed one to a tall blond female that was wearing a tight shirt. The girl caught it, winked at him, he smiled back, that turned into a jaw drop as the woman lifted her shirt then and then vanished into the crowd. For a long moment his mind tried to register this impossibility. _What the HELL just happened?_

Liss saw this and she began to laugh, "Danielle!" she shouted over the crowd. "Look at Randall! Little country boy's eyes are going to pop!"

Randall was still staring slack jawed and bug eyed.

Danielle put her hand on his shoulder. "Just don't look up…"

But Liss wouldn't have any of it, "Randall! Look up!"

Confused and shocked Randall did and got an eye full. A lot of the humans were lifting their shirts, showing bare breasts. Some weren't' even wearing shirts, instead they were covered in beads. It was then Randall even noticed the Liss was doing the same thing occasionally. Beads were being thrown through air.

Randall turned to Danielle who had just given up. She sighed.

"Danielle, are those people…"

She nodded.

Randall couldn't help it; he looked back, "They are! Oh, hell, they ARE! But this is like, in PUBLIC!"

Danielle began to giggle and laugh now.

"I mean, is this LEGAL? Can they just...do THAT, right out here… where everyone can see them!" Randall sputtered.

Danielle fell back against a brick wall, laughing hard. Her breaths soon becoming gasps. Randall stopped gawking and went over to her as she sagged down, still laughing but trying to breath. Randall then reached into the inside pocket of the cape he wore and pulled out the inhaler she had entrusted him with. She nodded her thanks and fired a few shots into her mouth.

"You alright now?" he asked concerned.

She nodded, "Yeah. I'm fine. Thanks Randall." She handed it back and he put it back into the pocket.

"So…they really are doing that?" he asked.

Danielle grinned and nodded. "That's why I was hesitate about bringing you down here on Bourbon Street."

A grin spread across Randall face as he nodded, "I can see why. So that's what the beads are for." He then eyed all the beads that she had colleted. "Tell me…you didn't?"

Danielle had to take a drink to keep from laughing again, though it didn't help to much. "Randall…you don't have to flash to get beads. All you have to do is raise your hands and they will toss the beads to you."

"Then why do they do that?"

Danielle giggled, "They think it's fun I guess."

"And it is Miss Prude," Liss said behind Randall, she then 'bumped' into Randall, which caused him to stumble forward and into Danielle. He had put his hands out and found that it was either a bad idea, or a good one, cause the way Liss was grinning…to her it was a good idea.

Randall had instinctually put his hands out. He had turned his head to glare Liss, when he heard a gasp. He looked back at Danielle. Her face clearly had shock on it. He then looked down. His left hand was on the brick wall, but his right hand was pressing firmly against her left breast.

He stared at her, "I'm sorry…"

"I know."

He continued to stare at her.

Liss rolled her eyes as the two _clueless_ people in front of her just stared at each other. In her own half drunk mind she didn't realize that Randall shouldn't be able to kiss in a costume like his. She only thought that these two were stubborn as hell. This time not discrete, she walked up and shoved the back of Randall's head forward. The jerk he did told her that her job was done. She smiled then she turned back to try to catch some more beads and get them some more drinks.

Danielle had seen Liss get ready to push Randall's head forward and before she could warn Randall, his lips were shoved against hers, both reserving quite the shock. Randall didn't snatch his head way though. He just slowly pulled his head back.

"Danielle…."

"Ah…later Randall…. please." Danielle knew she was blushing horribly.

He nodded then finally noticed that his hand was still on her breast. This he did snatch his hand away. He stepped back.

They were saved by more embarrassment when Liss came back and handed them both drinks. This time it was red. Randall took his and moved back to the edge of the street. Danielle took a big drink. This time the taste was some kind of wild cherry with strong rum. "I don't know whether to hug or strangle you, " she said after she took another drink. She could feel the alcohol running through her blood and she had to admit that after that 'kiss' the rush of it felt pretty damn good.

"Oh come on…it's not like you haven't…." Liss trailed off staring at Danielle, "Oh my god! That was your first kiss with him!"

Danielle blushed and nodded, "Yeah, we came close a few times but that was our first kiss."

Liss stared at her short blushing friend, an idea forming.


	35. Chapter 33 part 3

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in (now) 2002. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Ok this had got so long so I had to break it THREE parts.**

**Also I tried my best with sights and sound of Mardi Gras and New Orleans. **

**Took me all night and all day, but I'm done with the chapter. And I will have a picture for part two and three up soon.**

**Now WARNING. There is talk of sex and sexual content, but it's safe. No heavy descriptions what so ever. **

**Chapter 33 part three**

XXXX

Danielle darted into a small restaurant. She soon came out carrying three cups. These were not any mixed drinks, but food. She had begun to realize how drunk both her and Randall were getting. She would NOT have any of it. So putting her head back on straight, she went in to get all three of them some food before they become just three of the hundreds of drunken people out there. She bullied Randall and Liss into a corner and shoved the cups at them.

"Eat it!" she snarled.

Liss giggled at Danielle, "Oh D! Come on loosen up! You was looking rather good with those dance move of yours!" She laughed as she popped a Boudin ball into her mouth.

He laughed as he too ate the sausage balls. "It was very interesting…. I might want to see them again!"

"In your dreams! If someone would stop putting that Everclear in my drinks…" Danielle flushed and tried to blank out the fuzziness of the embarrassing little show.

Randall sniggered, "Maybe you should double that next shot," He told Liss. He too was feeling good. Almost too good. But he was also having too much fun.

"I might have to. She's a tough cookie to get to loosen up, but I was getting her there." Liss said with a wink at Randall.

Danielle crossed her arms. "Well…someone has to be the adult with you two. Really Randall…I never expected you to…I mean you are…. cute…I mean…. you are very…se-" she clapped her hands over her mouth.

Liss was bent over laughing at the embarrassed look on Danielle's face, while Randall was staring at her with an amused look.

Danielle kept her hands to her mouth for the next half hour.

Liss was finally able to talk Danielle into drinking another Hurricane. Danielle had shook her head at first but she soon caved. It had been a while since she had drunk any drinks, her buzz wearing off after she had eaten her rice balls. She drank it as all three of them wandered down the streets, both Danielle and Liss getting a good laugh when a fully naked girl walked past. She was naked but had body paint and beads all over her. She eyed Randall's huge bead necklace and pointed at Danielle and Liss. Randall had stepped back and was looking shocked and confused. Liss laughed and then she nodded, "Sure! I'll do it!" The black haired girl grinned then winked at Randall and to his complete surprise and shock went up and put her bare arms around Liss's neck and kissed Liss. Randall's jaw dropped. Then his eyes widened even more when she went up to Danielle to kiss her. Danielle shied away, but gave the older girl a smile to show that she meant no hard feelings. The girl shrugged and went back to Randall. She was confused and worried about the teeth but she kissed him on the nose and then subsequently took his beads and vanished into the crowd.

Danielle and Liss both began to laugh at Randall. Once he realized what happened he began to sputter.

XXXX

Sulley had been waiting for this all day. He had gotten the call that the door was ready and was perfectly active. He had to wait until 9 the next morning since the time zone that he and Mike had banished Randall to, was 12 hours ahead and he knew it was best to wait until dark. Right now, both he and Mike were staring at the white wood door. Mike held a flashlight, as did Sulley. Sulley looked down at his little friend. "Are you ready?" he asked.

Mike shrugged, "As ready as I'll ever be."

Sulley turned the door on and once the light lit up above the door, Sulley carefully turned the knob and slowly opened the door. He peered into the room. Much to his relief, it appeared to be unoccupied. He entered the room, Mike following behind him shutting the closet door behind him.

Sulley and Mike took time to look at the faded pink wallpaper, old pictures of animals and a shelf full of old children toys. There was a pink ruffle was around a small dresser. A large blue ink spot stained the ruffle and part of the cream carpet. The twin bed was made neatly with a brown comforter.

Sulley then turned to the next-door and carefully opened it. He poked his huge furred head out and listened carefully. The house was very quiet. He looked to the left and saw two doors at the far end of a hallway. "Mike," he whispered, "check out the two doors."

"Aye aye," Mike saluted him and crept down the hall while Sulley glanced around and made sure that it was clear.

Mike opened the first door and a light spicy yet feminine scent hit his nose. It was clearly a female's room. He looked at the light purple and white covered bed and didn't see any one. He closed the door and moved to the next. A bathroom. Obviously no one in there. "Hey Sull!" he called in a normal voice.

Sulley was in the living room, and jumped just as something whined and he heard Mike's voice. He looked down and saw that he was not alone in this room. Leaning against his legs was a white and tan dog. It looked up at him with mismatched eyes and whined again.

Mike came trotting up behind him. "There's no one in the house tonight. We are in luck." he then looked down at the dog. "Shoo!" he waved his hands at it.

The dog whined but climbed back up on a cream colored couch with a large yellow cat that was glaring at them both.

Mike shuttered. "Cat looks creepy. Come on Sulley let's try to find Lizard Lips."

Sulley nodded tearing his eyes away from looking around. They went to the front door and unlocked it and opened the door and walked outside.

"Wow. It's warmer here." Sulley said. "That could be good. Randall wouldn't have frozen to death."

"Yeah…. heaven should forbid," Mike mumbled.

Smells that were unknown to them had them wrinkling up their faces. It was a mixture of soggy earth, stale water and rotting plants. They walked around, on the border of a large swamp. Sulley had decided that if he were Randall, and if he was hurt, he'd be nearby where he could get fresh water and food, but still stay the problem was, Randall was always good at not being found. If he didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be found. Sulley was scared that Randall could be lost forever. Here, he had miles upon miles of nasty thick watery swamp to look through.

They knew from the map that no one was around for miles and since the human female wasn't home, they both began to call for the time Sulley finally decided to call it a night it was 10:45 making it 10:45 in the morning back home. They headed back into the house making sure that they left no evidence.

Once back in the empty simulator room of MI, Mike patted Sulley's arm. "Hey. It was only one night. We can try again another night."

Sulley nodded sighing. "Tomorrow night." he said, not noticing the three blue eyes watching from around a corner.

XXX

Danielle looked at her watch feeling buzzed from the mixed drinks. It read 10:45. She felt that they should be heading back. Both her and Randall had stopped drinking about 10, but she could still feel it. And from how Randall was acting, he was too. He was no longer gawking too much at the 'flashers', but was more relaxed, enjoying the sights and sounds. And a lot of the girls and women loved him. He wouldn't kiss any of them, but he did surprisingly accept kisses on his cheeks and nose occasionally. Danielle was amused and surprised. This was coming from the lizard monster that had been such a touch-me-not. Of course, now he was not as stressed and hurt. Plus the drinks that he had had could have had something to do with it.

She wiggled out of the grasp of some guy that was dressed as a pirate and caught up with Liss and Randall. Liss was still drinking but Liss was used to drinking more and longer and even harder liquor then this. Danielle stumbled into Randall when somebody pushed her, that culprit wearing a black and red can can costume.

Randall's arm caught her and wrapped around her waist. "I thought you had stopped drinking or have you still been sneaking a few?" Randall sniggered.

"No. Somebody pushed me," Danielle said as she sent a halfhearted glare at Liss who giggled and winked at her.

Randall's arm never left her waist and they continued to make their way through the crowd back to the motel. Danielle and Randall waited for Liss as she darted into a store and came back out with a white bag. She didn't pull whatever she had bought out and they didn't think anything of it.

Danielle felt the brush of scales and beads against her bare shoulders as they walked side by side. She glanced at Randall and found that he too had been staring at her. She flushed but still stared back. Randall had been surprisingly and unsurprisingly, very popular with his costume. Native Northerners was glad to find someone they could understand and the local women had cooed over his accent. He now had more beads then both Liss and Danielle. He had to even wrap some around his tail and long torso. She couldn't even remember how he got all of them.

"Hey Randall?"

"Hmm?"

"I forgot…. how did you get so many beads?"

Randall burst out laughing, "You REALLY wanna know?" he grinned at her.

Danielle shook her head. "No…. keep that to your self."

Randall began to laugh hard, but as he did so he couldn't help but think of that 'kiss' earlier. What would it be like to really kiss her. That was the thought that kept running through his mind. Despite how good he felt and how much flirting he did, he was still really too shy to try, but it still didn't help the fact that he was now very curious and was wondering what she had thought about it.

They made it back to the motel, Liss trailing along with them. She had told them she wasn't done yet and would soon head back out. Danielle handed him the key and he went ahead and unlocked the door while Danielle had went to get a bucket of ice and some soda cans.

That left Randall and Liss alone. Liss was leaning against the iron railings watching him. Her black eyes were glassier and the bag she had carried was at her feet. She watched as Randall struggled with the door and then finally got it open.

"Hey Randall,"

Randall turned warily, "Yes?"

Liss then shoved the bag she had gotten into Randall' arms. "Here, have fun and relax, the woman gave him a wink. "Tell Danielle I had to go ahead and leave. Two is company…three is a crowd." At that, the woman turned, skipped down the stairs and was gone.

Randall watched her go with a confused look but carried the bag into the room and allowed the heavy sack to slide down to the floor. It was then that Danielle came into the room. She looked around "Liss went ahead and left?"

Randall nodded as he pulled the felt hat off his head as after she closed the door and locked it. She set the bucket and the cans down and came over and untied the cape as he pulled the cloth mask off then began to toss beads onto the bed.

When the last bead was unwrapped from him and laid on the bed, both he and Danielle stared at all the beads.

"Looks like the Mardi Gras threw up on the bed," she smirked as she gathered the costume items and shoved them into the duffle bag. She had left the jester hat out though. She didn't know about Randall but she really liked the huge hat. In fact she was wearing it as she put the cape and mask in the bag along with her own mask. "Why don't you go ahead a take shower? I know Liss didn't mean to spill that drink on you. Then again…she could have. You never with her," Danielle sniggered.

Randall had been watching her but when she had mentioned that he then touched his scaly chest. It was indeed sticky. He groaned and rolled his eyes. "Now that you mention it…. I smell like a mini bar."

Danielle plopped down on the bed and giggled. "So do it. Go take one, so I can," she said as she pulled the black shoes off.

Randall nodded eagerly and went into the bathroom. After a few minutes she could hear the sound of running water.

Danielle then took the chance to go ahead and pull the black tights off. With the alcohol she had been drinking she had been getting hot in the pants. She stopped and giggled at that thought before she realized that she was still tipsy. "Damn it Liss. I blame you." Though she knew she had no one to blame but herself. She sat there on the bed and listened to the drumbeats from the New Orleans streets.

After ten minutes Randall came back out. He looked refreshed and less sticky from the blue drink that Liss had spilled on him either on purpose or accident neither of them knew. He was still slightly damp, water in the little crevices of his scales, making him glisten even more. He froze at the sight of Danielle sitting on the bed, the tights gone.

Both neither noticed the fact that they were both staring for a few minutes.

His gaze returned to her brown eyes, to find she was looking him over too, rather appreciatively, he thought, feeling suddenly apprehensive.

"You're staring," he noted dryly.

"So were you,"' she retorted evenly meeting his eyes. "And I'm admiring, there's a difference."

Randall wasn't quite sure how to answer that. Admiring…him? Then hell, why the hell not? A slow grin crossed his face, "Then…. in that case, so was I."

Danielle blushed, "Well…. I'm going to take that shower…." she then grabbed her bag and darted into the bathroom, Randall's green eyes following her.

She was so amusing. She could fire back with the retorts and flirts, but then turn shy and embarrassed the next. If he had been in a better state of mind instead of having the alcohol slugging through his veins he would have possibly realized why. Instead it just left him pleasantly confused and amused.

He couldn't believe the atmosphere of this world, of New Orleans. His time on the streets…it was so exotic, the music he had heard he had loved, the loud brassy sounds, the old buildings…everything. He wondered if the rest of the Human World was like this or if this was the only place for it.

The humans had appeared in grotesque, quizzical, diabolic, horrible, strange masks and disguises. Humans that he had seen with heads of beasts and birds, beasts and birds with human heads; demi-beasts, demi-fishes, snakes' heads and bodies dressed as 'monsters'. Some so well made that it seemed real. Real enough to the point that Randall had wondered if some of them were actually banished monsters that they too had came to the Mardi Gras celebration. He never knew though. They had been there and gone in a flash, lost among all the other humans in the rich confusion on the streets, among the wildly shouting, singing, laughing, drumming, as the humans went their reckless way.

It was then he remembered the bag that Liss had shoved into his arms. He went over to where he had put them on the floor and picked the bag up then and carried it over to the bed and began looking through the bag. He lifted out a bottle of wine affixed with a green bow. He looked into the bag again and found a two more bottles of Chardonnay and bottle of Pinot Noir, one having a gold bow and the other a purple bow attached as if they were to be a gift.

There was a note was attached to the bow of one of them. He tore it off and read it.

*I want you two to loosen up. It's Mardi Gras for fuck's sake!*

Randall sniggered as Danielle came out of the bathroom dressed in gray soft cotton sleeping pants and a light blue t-shirt. She was brushing her wet hair.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

Randall handed her the note and she rolled her eyes as she read the note. She then sighed as she looked at the bottles. "That's not fair."

"What isn't fair?"

"She got my favorite kinds."

"Well…."

Danielle's decision was made. Why not? You only lived once and it wasn't like Randall would try anything. He may have been flirty and would touch her hair and such. He was just curious, it didn't mean that he was THAT interested…. but then what if he was?

It was too late. She had the bottle open and she took a long swing from the bottle, still feeling the past affects from the four mixed drinks earlier that day.

She then looked at Randall. He was looking at her shocked. "What?"

"You just keep surprising me that's all."

"What drinking out of the bottle? It's not like there are any wine glasses around. Or any cups for that matter." she giggled and held the bottle out to him. "Unless the big bad monster is afraid to drink after a little human. Or maybe he's thinks he's too good to drink from a wine bottle."

It was challenge enough for him. He took the bottle and took a long drink letting the wine fill his large mouth before he swallowed it. The wine was sweet and rich, with only a light bitter after taste.

Xxx

Danielle was leaning against the bed. They had finished that one bottle and they were passing the second one back and forth. Randall was by the open window, the cool air blowing in through the window. He passed the bottle back and Danielle took another drink. What she liked about these wines was that they had low alcohol in them, but…then again she didn't drink much and the stupid Everclear from earlier was still in her system. She felt loose and really relaxed.

"Hey Randall…."

"Hmm?" he looked back at her. Like her, he too looked like he was really relaxed. His long tail was loose and sagging down slightly.

"We're good friends right?"

"Yeah, good friends..." He said oddly.

"So…. can you tell me…how does sex works in the monster's world?"

Embarrassed, her hand flew to her mouth and she blushed.

It took a minute for what she said to sink in, and it just so happened to be when he took a drink of the wine. He choked, something that was becoming very annoying.

He then laughed, though it was a shocked snicker. "I think you are drunk!"

"I don't drink very often. But I am very relaxed. Maybe a little too relaxed," she admitted, chagrined.

Randall then looked back at her, "To answer your question…the same from what I seen on your TV and…out there, " he waved a hand to the still partiers outside.

Danielle laughed still embarrassed but it HAD been something she had been wondering. "So you have had….?"

Randall took another drink, "Sex? Yes. You have too from what you have mentioned so don't look at me like that."

Danielle blushed and opened the third bottle if only for something to do, "I have never doubted that you had sex. I mean you are very handsome…I mean you are beautiful….I mean…damn." She then took a drink turning away from him, completely embarrassed.

Randall laughed softy as he watched her though he was shocked and very flattered.

Danielle then seemed to make a decision, "Uh Randall?" she turn back to him. "About earlier…the kiss if you can call it that. If you want I can apologize for it….

Randall lifted his head, "And IF I said I didn't want an apology for it?"

She knew that this was a dangerous thing to be doing, particularly in her current state. While she wasn't drunk, she was very definitely tipsy, and her inhibitions regarding certain types of behavior were becoming more distant with each drink from the bottle. But she couldn't help but to ask, "Then I'd have to say, was it all right?"Randall thought for a moment and then smiled at her. "Yeah. It was." he then looked away and both took a drink from the bottles. When Randall looked back at Danielle he saw that she was staring at him.

Their eyes met and to Danielle's surprise, she saw a strong spark of interest within his gaze. She was quickly caught in his gaze as she stared back.

What would it be like to kiss him? To really kiss him?

Danielle stood up from the bed, having to hold onto the headboard as the room spun for a minute then stopped. She moved closer to Randall with mainly the notation to take a few deep breaths of fresh air. She didn't count on having her answer when she found that her lips were pressed against Randall's.

He was stiffened and blinking in surprise. She slowly and gently moved her mouth against his. He relaxed and his eyes fell closed.

It was a true first kiss for the both of them, unlike earlier when their lips had just been pushed together, and though it was a little awkward, Randall's wide mouth was surprisingly tender.

Danielle pulled away; her heart was thumping in her chest. She was about to say something when Randall tentatively caressed her cheek with his velvet fingertips as another hand ran her still damp hair through his fingers.

His mouth had tasted of the wine. Deciding to try again, she smiled, her own fingertips came up and under his scaly jaw and stroked against the soft scales. She leaned in and pressed another kiss to his mouth liking the strange feeling of his lips. They were soft. Not human soft, but softer then what she had expected. They were of course scaly. This kiss was more certain than the other and Danielle guessed that he was going to let her lead the way, so she opened her mouth a tiny crack against his. When her tongue slid against his bottom lip, Randall jumped slightly and opened his eyes, but closed them again. He opened his mouth slightly and her tongue slipped inside. She tasted like the sweet wine that they had been drinking.

He decided to take a chance…his hesitantly allowed his long forked tongue slipped past his lips and into her own mouth and she opened her eyes for a moment, surprised. Their tongues met and came together in a slow dance, eliciting soft moan from Danielle as the long forked tongue wrapped around her own and slowly stroked against hers.

His arms came around her then, gently pulling her against him. His hands began rubbing up over her back.

XXX

Danielle stretched, her internal clock telling her that it was sometime early in the morning. Her head was throbbing with a horrible headache, but at least she didn't want to throw up. That was a bonus. Something moved behind her and she almost panicked, but remembered that that she and Randall had to share a bed. She almost snickered, but then groaned when her head throbbed worse. She shifted and it was then she realized that she was naked.

Her eyes shot opened wide as memories of what happened flooder her hazy brain. She and Randall had slowly and carefully worked their way through the wine and feeling a bit too good, she had kissed Randall. She could deal with that if that's all that had happened. But no, one thing had led to another; both she and Randall had ended up on the bed. The sad thing was…she had to be the one to coax him since he was too shy at first. But once she and got him relaxed, there was no stopping not that she tried.

Randall shifted behind her again and in deep sleepy content, Randall slipped his arms around her and nuzzled her close, pressing his face into her hair.

She tensed hoping that he didn't wake up, but he didn't so she relaxed, finding she did enjoy the feel on his warm scaly body holding her close. But she found herself asking the age-old question…. what the hell am I going to do now?

Danielle decided the best answer was to fall back asleep, and hope that the real answer comes to her when her head wasn't hurting as bad.


	36. Chapter 34

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in (now) 2002. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Now WARNING. There is talk of sex and sexual content, but it's safe. No heavy descriptions what so ever. And wow. This was sad. **

Chapter 34

XXXX

Danielle was woken up when she heard a loud gasp and then a mad scramble as Randall shot out of the bed, like the devil was hot on his heels. He almost ran into the wall, but he stopped and groaned, putting his head in his hands.

Danielle sat up and wrapped the sheet around her and waited, her own head still pounding. After a few minutes he turned around and stared at her. His smoky purple scales were paler and his eyes were blood shot. He took in the sight of her sitting in the bed, the sheets around her, her freckled shoulders bare. "Did…" Randall winced and lowered his voice. "Did we do what I think we did?" he asked softly.

Her own blood shot eyes and the slight guilty look on her face told him yes before she even nodded. "Yes. I'm quite sure that we did."

Randall winced again. What had he_ done? _"How… how you doing this morning?"

Danielle shrugged, "Good…I think…you?"

Randall also shrugged as he stared at her. "Good… I think," he muttered.

"You think?" she repeated with a questioning look in her eye. "What's wrong?"

Randall looked at her like she had grown a second head. "Danielle, we had…."

"Yes, I know I was there," she said with a small half grin. "What's the problem?"

Randall was trying to determine if she was serious. "I think we need to talk."

Danielle nodded, "Maybe. Give me a minute." She then slowly stood up with the sheet still around her. She groaned as her belly flip flopped but then settled. She then walked carefully into the bathroom, picking up her bag as she went. Closing the door, she let the sheet drop. As she got dressed she noticed a trail of blood on her chest that went up to her neck. She then looked in the mirror and moved her hair to the side. There was a good size discoloration on the side of her neck. The skin was broken slightly. She felt annoyed and embarrassed as she remembered how that came about. Those teeth of his. She then sighed and took a washcloth and got it wet. She then pressed the warm wet cloth against her neck hissing at the sting. She wiped the blood up and got dressed noting the aches and soreness. To top it off her belly was still flip-flopping. After she had got dressed she opened the door to find Randall still in the corner though he didn't look as pale. "We don't need to talk about anything," was the first thing she said.

Randall looked at her again like she was crazy. "We…had…. and you say that there isn't anything to talk about?"

"Randall…we were drunk…it was a accident." Danielle really wasn't sure how to talk about this.

Randall felt a tiny flicker of anger rise inside him. "So are you saying you could care less about this?"

"What do you want me to say?" Danielle told him honestly.

Randall scoffed once more. "We had… Danielle, and you're acting like all we did was talk about the weather."

"Did it make you feel better?" she demanded a bit harsher then she wanted to.

He wanted to say no. He wanted so bad to tell her no, that their one night did nothing for him but the truth was he couldn't. He couldn't because it DID make him feel better. Though he didn't remember too much, he did remember that they indeed had sex. All of the rage, and aggression, and pure outstanding frustration over the years had begun to disappear and by the end of the night, he had nearly forgotten all about everything that had happened, everything that had brought him to that moment.

His silence spoke volumes to her. "So it made you feel better," Danielle began, "and I had a hell of a good time making you feel better," Randall and Danielle blushed at her words, "I don't understand what the problem is. Why can't you let it be what it is?"

"We…had…I think means something to me. It may not to you but-."

A familiar fire began burning inside her that only seemed to be lit when she argued with Randall. "Hold on," Danielle hissed, "You think that I'm some prude that I don't care? Or should have been shocked that I had sex with you? It's kinda sounding to me that you are too shocked yourself…that what we did was some sort of bad gross thing. I don't care if you are a monster, a separate species! You are human enough for me! You are a walking, thinking intelligent PERSON. Not an animal. I had with you sex because I was drunk and because I find you very attractive and beautiful. Inside and out. Call me sappy, cliché or what! You are very good with the name calling anyway."

Randall flinched at her words. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, only half meaning his apology. "But… look I think that we should…"

"Randall…It was sex. Nothing more! Why are you making such a big deal about this? You can't even say the word…like you are ashamed that you had sex with me…with a human!"

"Sex! We had sex!" Randall snarled, his tail swishing back and forth. "And sex always means something!" he shouted back, "As much as you hate admitting it, it does!"

Danielle nodded her head, looking at him with a fire in her hazel eyes. "You're right, for me it always does. I'm not the one to jump into the bed with any man. I knew it would be a bad idea to kiss you. To have sex with you."

"And just what was so bad about it?" Randall demanded. "That I actually care about you enough to want to talk about this? That I actually… I actually maybe want to take it some-."

"No!" she shouted, almost desperately. "We're not taking this ANYWHERE! You are going home tonight! You have been wanting to go home for months…it was such a bad idea to fall in lov-to become so attached to you!"

"You waited all this time and you act on it the night before I go home? You were the one that kissed me! You were the one that told me that it would be fine! YOU were the one that started it all!"

"We were both drunk! And I didn't hear you complaining! In fact you were the one that wanted a second round!" Danielle hissed.

Randall chuckled low and cruelly, "And for a prude, you sure did scream."

Danielle's eyes widened and she then squeezed her eyes shut not seeing the look of regret on his face. "Fine. Whatever." She then snatched the key and stormed out of the room, slamming the door.

XXX

Randall didn't know what to do. He had thought he was getting better, but then his confusion at how cold and detached Danielle had seemed had gotten to him. He knew he care for her more then he should, and her detachment had hurt him, after all he wouldn't have initiated it no matter how much he wanted it. She had started it and had told him that it was ok, that she did want it. After a little longer he was indeed glad she had. But now…"What am I going to do?" he groaned to himself.

He really didn't want to leave on such a bad note but he didn't know how to talk to her about this. He had had a few one-night stands before he had become wrapped up in the Scream Extractor, but none of those females had saved his life before, never helped him as much as she had.

He had become the first known monster to sleep a human– unless, of course, one believed all those old myths about half monster half human hybrids… At any rate, no one would be able to deny that he would definitely be the first modern male to have sex with a human, and that was sure to stir up some trouble. Not that he would go back and sing about it. But was that really the crux of the issue? No. He decided. The few months he had been with her he had all ready decided that though she was human, he could care less. She was his equal. No longer the lower being. Humans have always been equals…after all they were all more alike then some may care to admit. But that still brought him to this current trouble. Things had turned so sour in the course of a few minutes. He was just so confused as to why she didn't want to talk. He knew she wasn't the kind for just casual sex. She was the kind that would want deeper meaning. But why had she been so cold? It wasn't like she was ashamed that she had. She had even told him this. "I don't care if you are a monster, a separate species! You are human enough for me! You are a walking, thinking intelligent PERSON. Not an animal. I had with you sex because I find you very attractive and beautiful…"

So the coldness could be in the form that she had liked him too much, she had almost said something, but his hungover brain hadn't really picked up on it. Love. She had almost said love.

Randall closed his eyes and held back a shudder but it turned into half sob. He needed air. He went to the window and blended and opened the window and slithered out and up the side of the building to the roof.

XX

It was a few hours later then Danielle came back. She was so pissed off when she had left. Pissed off and hurt. But now that she had calmed down she knew that Randall was right. They needed to talk. The only thing that she regretted was that it had to be a one-night stand. She didn't regret the kiss, the sex. She was only really hurting that it had turned so bad, that they had obviously had said some hurtful things. Her first plan when she had stormed out was that she would wait until dark and then go back and get Randall and sneak him into her sister's and then go home. But now she wanted the time to talk, to apologize.

She stopped and got some couche-couche though it was almost time for lunch. She walked slowly up the iron stairs and to the room. She unlocked the door and walked in. she didn't see Randall. She heaved a sigh and put the tray on the dresser and walked into the bathroom where she had left the sheet and tossed it on the bed. Turning to the dresser, rubbing her temples she didn't see Randall's blended form shift as he came back into the room. He unblended and stared at her back. Her stance told him that she looked as miserable he felt, and it wasn't the headache that was pounding away inside his skull.

He walked up and touched her shoulder. "Danielle?"

She jumped slightly and then turned, "Randall…you are right. We do need to talk."

He nodded, "Please."

"Randall, you..." Danielle wished she knew how to say this right. It was just so awkward!

"I don't know really what to say other then I'm sorry?"

"Why?" Randall caught on then, "You're that ashamed, aren't you?"

"Well, I, uh..." Danielle stammered, struggling to find the right words. She let out a loud sigh. "I'm very ashamed of myself actually."

He gave her a puzzled look. What did this mean then? Why would she be ashamed of herself?

"I allowed myself to get drunk…I drug you right down along with me. You are right, I did start it all. Since all this is out in the open, I might as well tell the truth. I what you to know that as cheesy as this sounds, I don't regret that I kissed you. I don't regret that we had sex. I just want you to know that's just not the real me, you know?" Danielle closed her eyes with her fingers poised over her face, her head slightly bowed.

She opened her eyes quickly as she felt Randall's arms go around her. He held her close to his chest in great endearment as he pressed his cheek against hers.

"I know," he said softly, breathing in her scent. He pulled away just enough to face her.

"I would apologize for this, but I'm not sorry. The only thing I'm sorry for is for what I said," he told her, gently smiling; he then hesitantly kissed her lips softly.

Danielle kissed him back. It was different now that she wasn't drunk. It was better, but she better stop this before they get hurt even more. She pulled back and ran her fingers across his crest. "How's your head?"

Randall let her go, knowing what she was doing and he while he would've rather have held her without them both drunk, he knew it was better this way. "It's still pounding," he groaned slightly.

"Mine too. We now know not to mix Everclear and wine together huh?" Danielle said as she too rubbed her head.

Randall nodded. "Yes. Remind me to smack that friend of yours."

Danielle chuckled then winced. "Oh don't worry, Liss is going to get an earful." She then turned and picked up a bottle of aspirin. She opened it and shook two out and then passed the bottle to Randall. "I have couche-couche if you are hungry."

Randall backed away shaking his head. "I don't think my stomach could handle that." he took the aspirin however. He swallowed four and groaned again. "When did you want to take me to your sister's?"

"About 7. She already knows that I'm coming over for dinner. So we have about 5 hours. So if you don't mind and I suggest that you do the same…I'm going to sleep some of this off." Danielle said as she sat down on the bed and pulled her shoes off.

Randall suddenly looked unsure.

"Come on. It's just a nap." Danielle said as she stretched out, looking over at him.

Randall slowly walked over to the bed. "I know…but…"

"I trust you Randall and it's not like we haven't sleep in the same bed," she said softy, giggling a little.

"And more," Randall almost whispered as he blushed lightly.

"And more," Danielle agreed as she blushed too. She watched him as he slowly walked to her and then with his fronds pressed against his head, he crawled up on the bed behind her on all eight limbs until he was stretched out on the bed beside her. His body was tense as he lay beside her.

Danielle sighed then turned over. "Randall?"

He looked at her. "Yes?"

"Relax."

"That tense huh?"

"Oh yeah. I thought that at least the sex would relax you some." Danielle said as she flushed.

Randall reached out and stroked her cheek with his velvet fingertips. "It did. More then you can imagine."

"Then what is the problem?" Danielle asked as she met his eyes.

"I don't know. Maybe because you do regret it." Randall then looked away.

"Well…I have to ask you. Do you regret it?" Danielle asked staring at him.

"In all honesty…no. I don't. I wouldn't have even thought of doing this with a human a few months ago. So much has changed. I changed…you are no longer just a human to me. You are a friend," he said looking back at her.

"Then no. I don't regret it. You are a friend to me too Randall. And even if I never see you again…you will always be a friend. You may not _look_ like a human, but you are smarter, more interesting and more 'human' then most people I know. So even though this was a one time thing, that we both were drunk…" She reached out and placed both of her hands on each side of his face and gently pulled his head toward her. Danielle kissed his nose, "I'm glad that it happened and with you." she then gently press her lips to his in a sweet gentle kiss though she pulled back before he could even kiss her back. She let go of him and snuggled down into the bed, her head still pounding.

She closed her eyes not seeing the happy and relaxed look cross over his face, though she did feel him shift as he fully relaxed beside her and him reach out and take one of her hands and hold it as they both gave into the painful hangover.

XXX

Danielle stared down at her bowl of soup. She really wasn't hungry. True her hangover was long gone, but the time had come. In a hour of so she would have to leave her sister's house, leaving Randall to go back through one of the closet doors and back home to Monstropolis, to try to tell his side, to start over. He needed to do this…but why did it hurt so much? She knew. She loved him. _Be a big girl about this. Don't cry…not here. Wait until you are at the room and alone. Then you can cry._ She thought to herself.

"You know Danielle…that soup is cold by now."

Her sister's snotty voice had her looking up. Margot was leaning against the dining room door way. It was then Danielle noticed that the two kids were gone and all the dishes were cleaned up. She hadn't even noticed it. "Oh. Yeah. I'm not really hungry." Danielle stood up and picked her bowl and glass up and carried it to the kitchen. He sister followed shaking her head.

"You are acting like a zombie. What happened during Mardi Gras? You actually have a one night stand?" Margot chuckled. The laugh died off when Danielle didn't say a word. "Oh my god! You did? Danielle…the so-called careful prude had a one night stand!"

Danielle spun around and glared at her sister. "Come on! Stop calling me a 'prude'! And it's not like you…little miss prefect, haven't had the one nights as well."

Margot just laughed, "Oh I've had a few of them. I just hope you used protection."

Danielle blanched slightly. They hadn't…but then, nothing would happen. He was a Monster. This reassured her, but Margot had seen her pale.

"Oh god D…you didn't? That was very stupid."

"I won't get pregnant," Danielle said quietly. "I know I won't. It'll be fine."

Margot shook her head. "I hope so. Well, I hate to rush you off, but the kids are in bed and I have to go to bed myself."

Danielle nodded, "Yeah, yeah. You don't want your swamp dwelling sister smelling up the couch. I need to be alone anyway, but I'm going to use the bathroom before I leave." Danielle spun on her heel.

"That's not what I meant!" her sister called after her.

Danielle didn't answer. She went down the long dark wood floor and the yellow orange walled hallway. She stopped at the base of the stairs. She looked around. "Randall?" she whispered. "Randall?" she tried again.

A tap on her shoulder had her turning.

Randall was standing there looking miserable. She tried to smile but couldn't. "Well…I guess this is good-bye." Her voice cracked a little as she whispered to him.

"I guess so." He looked down then back up at her. "Danielle…thank you. Thank you for putting up with me, for showing me this world, for saving my _life_."

"Randall…I couldn't…I…you're welcome." Tears came to her eyes and she looked away embarrassed. She then felt Randall take her left hand in his right and felt his warm finger on his left hand under her chin. He lifted her head and then pressed his sagittal crest against her forehead. His left hand trailed over to her cheek and gently stroked it.

She lifted her eyes slightly and looked him in the eyes.

"Don't cry." He whispered to her, tears in his own eyes. "I'll never forget you."

"And I won't forget you."

They were like that for a few more minutes before she pulled Randall into a hug then pulled away. "I have to go. Remember if you can't for any reason go through…. come back to the motel. I'll be there until noon."

Randall nodded. "Thank you again."

Danielle stepped away, Randall not letting go of her hand just yet. "Be careful, be safe…" she whispered.

Randall nodded and then in a very bold move that surprised her and himself. He pulled her back and at first Danielle thought it was for another hug. She was surprised when he pushed his lips against hers. He then pulled away and blended, gone to hide.

Danielle bit her lip and then tuned on her heel and hurried out of her sister's house and to her truck.

It wasn't until she had got back to the room and locked the door and stripped of her clothes and standing in the shower that she broke down, the warm water hiding her tears as she leaned her head against the tiled wall and cried.

XXX

Like the night before the closet door in the light pink room in Danielle's house opened. But instead of a 7 foot tall blue and purple spotted furry monster and a four foot lime molted green one eyed monster, there was a reddish pinkish three eyed monster that stood maybe three and a half feet walked into the room. He looked on the verge of a heart attack as his eyes darted around. Then black speckled light blue hands shoved him forward. A thin and gangly black speckled light blue monster walked out of the closet. His twelve red eyes that moved around on long stocks looked around. "Nice little room." he said. "Come on Fungus. Let's began the search."

"Wh-wha-what if the human is home now? I-I-I-I-I-I-I hea-heard that s-sh-she wasn't l-l-last ninght." Fungus said with his stutter.

"I'll take care of the human." Jester grinned. He then walked to the other door and carefully opened it. He stuck his head out and looked around.

They had stolen the newly built closet door and it was now set up in a hidden corner down in an old door port in an old room that was never used. The idiots, Wazowski and Sullivan were looking for the door now, but they would never find it.

Jester not hearing anyone, reached behind him and grabbed Fugues and tossed him out into hallway. "Look out there and I'll look down this way." Jester said as he began to walk down the hallway. He looking into the other rooms not seeing anything or anyone he moved on. He opened another door and right away he knew that this was the human's room. Slightly curious he walked in and look around. The smell was nice. Spicy but also earthy. Simple. He liked simple. The room was nice as well. He wasn't too fond of the green, but at least it was the horrible white.

He then moved from the room back down the hallway. He heard Fungus whimpering and rolled his eyes. He walked into the living room and burst out laughing. Fungus was standing on the glass coffee table away from the dog that was wagging its short trail.

"Get down!" Jester laughed.

"Bu-but the d-d-d-d-dog!" Fugues gasped.

"Be a monster for once in your life!" Jester snarled in disgust. He then snarled lowly at the dog. The dog yelped and took off and huddled into a corner. Jester laughed, "Good doggie," he said cruelly.

Fungus climbed down from the table and move to the front door, Jester following. Suddenly Jester stopped and grabbed Fungus and dragged him to the kitchen. Jester then rolled Fungus like he was a bowling ball. Fungus rolled into the refrigerator. Jester laughed and then switched the light on.

Jester then went over to the refrigerator and pulled a picture off of the white door. He stared at it and then laughed. He bent down and shoving it into Fungus' face.

Fungus took it and drew in a sharp breath of air. Randall was very much alive and was even looking healthier then he had in years. Randall was stretched out on a couch holding a cup of coffee. His head was up and a look of surprise was in his green eyes, though he was smiling slightly at the person that had taken the picture.

"That's Randall Boggs isn't?" Jester asked as he took the picture back.

"Y-y-yes…but that means a-a-a-a-a-a human k-k-kn,"

"Knows about him. Yes. Ohh this is going to get good." Jester said. He then shoved the picture back on the refrigerator's door then grabbed Fungus. "Come on. We'll come back tomorrow night. And with Waternoose. I think it's time our little rich boy gets his claws dirty too."


	37. Chapter 35

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in (now) 2002. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**I want to thank a very special person. I was going to put this at the end of the sorry, but I'll put it now since she had pleasantly surprised me. She, pitbulllady from here and on DeviantArt has done a wonderful picture for me. So here is my thanks. Thank you so much for being one of the many that gave their support. Thank you for answering all my questions silly or not. Thank you.**

**Chapter 35**

XXX

Danielle rubbed her cheek against her pillow as she hugged the pillow that Randall had been using. After she had cried her heart out in the shower, the water hiding her tears, she had gotten out and just pulled on a tank shirt and a pair of underwear. She then had cleaned up the room, putting things in the bags and put them by the door. By then she just crawled up in the bed and tossed and turned and finally turned onto her side and huddled under the covers, hugging the pillow to her deeply breathing in his scent. She felt silly, she felt stupid. She felt…horrible.

It was dawn, the sky turning light when she finally fell asleep, and the New Orleans streets were quiet as fog from Lake Pontchartrain rolled through. It was during this time a long tired figure slowly drug himself toward the motel, using the fog as cover.

About a half an hour later the window seemed to open of its own accord. Randall slipped into the room then turned and closed the window. He walked over to the bed where Danielle was sleeping. He stared down at her, slightly embarrassed and unsure in letting her know that no monsters had come through either door. He had spent most of the night in the boy's room, blended and clinging to the wall, lost in his thoughts. When no monster came, he had then moved to the girl's room. He was then tired and had spent the rest of the night under the bed. When dawn was a half an hour away, it become very clear that no monster was coming. That meant one thing. The doors had been shredded. All the energy, the heartbreak, the remorse, the planning was all for not.

Embarrassment and pride had made him hesitate in coming back to the motel, him realizing how much he was still dependent on Danielle. But still, he had nothing here, no home, no job, and no money. Hell, did he even really have anything in the Monster World as well? What was left there for him? Even if he was declared acquitted, he had nothing left there as well. Back to the no home, no job, money. And it would be just as near impossible to start over there, as it would be here.

He had never felt so lost.

With a heavy sigh he leaned over Danielle and slipped his hand under the covers. He founded the edge of her shirt and slipped his hand under it and rubbed his hand against her back, running his fingers against her smooth soft skin.

Danielle jerked and he pulled his hand away when she turned over and opened her eyes. The hazel brown was hazy with sleep, but they flew open when she saw Randall's purple form over her. "Randall?"

He nodded.

She sat up fast then rose to her knees forgetting the she was only wearing a tank shirt and underwear. She hugged him as he hugged her back. "What happened? You couldn't get through?" She pulled back and then blushed as she realized she was half naked. She sat back down and pulled the covers over her lap.

Randall chuckled then looked serious. "The doors didn't open. Neither of them. No monsters, which meant the doors, had been shredded. I don't know how long ago, but the way the kids were sleeping easily, it's been awhile." Randall then walked away and began to pace, "To tell you the truth, I wasn't going to come back here."

"Why? I told you-" Danielle tried to say, but Randall interrupted her.

"I _know_ what you said. But…I… you did so much and then you were offering to do more…I can't and don't want to take advantage of that …of you." He said truthfully and slightly shocked at himself. He indeed had changed so much.

Danielle shook her head, "Is that what you think? Randall, I know you have nothing and you are possibly used to having something. I _want_ you to come back to Baton Rouge, back _home._ We'll think of something. Never think that you are taking advantage cause you are not." she then sighed and blushing, she slid off the bed and walked over to where her pajama bottoms were. Still blushing, she pulled them on and then walked over to Randall. He had been watching her, unsure what to say. She put her hand on the side of his wide head. "Come back and don't worry. If I didn't want you to…I would have never asked."

Randall took her hand from his face and then kissed it, "Until we work something out…an arrangement or something. I'm not a free loader."

"I never thought you as one." Danielle then hid a yawn. "Since you are here now, we can leave a bit earlier, but not without a bit more sleep. I know you haven't sleep all night huh?"

Randall shook his head. "I dozed, but no, I didn't want to miss the chance. But…"

"Then come on to bed. We'll check out at 10." Danielle walked back to the bed and slid back under the covers and put the pillow that she had been hugging back. She then looked over at Randall. "Aren't you coming in?" she asked.

Randall's insides tightened. He held her eyes with an intense gaze. "Do you want me to?"

"Yes. Of course."

Randall slowly walked over and lifted the blankets. He slid his long body into the bed and pressed up against her back and rose up slightly and slid his arms over her side and rested one on her hip. Danielle was laying on her side and she turned slightly looking up at him He nuzzled her shoulder and then pressed a ghost of a kiss to her bare freckled shoulder before resting his head on the pillow beside her.

Danielle turn back around and laid back down and closed her eyes and fell into a much more relaxed sleep as Randall pushed his head into her hair and relaxed behind her as well.

When Randall woke up, the sun was higher. It wasn't like him to sleep away the day like that, but he was tired. He rolled over, feeling for Danielle, only to find that the bed was mysteriously empty. _Must be in the bathroom,_ he thought, lifting his head to listen. She wasn't there. She wasn't anywhere. Randall took a deep breath. Did she really leave? Leave him there? Why would she leave without telling him? Randall shot out of the bed, looking around. The bags was gone and he was almost on the verge of a panic attack when the door opened

"Shit!" he muttered, blending.

Danielle stepped in with a cup. She closed the door right when Randall unblended.

"Danielle!"

She turned and smiled at him, "Randall, what's wrong? Did you think I'd leave you? I was just putting the bags in the truck and getting you a coffee. I was letting you sleep."

Randall flushed sheepishly. "Well…I…"

Danielle shook her head and sighed and set the coffee on the dresser. She walked up to him and kissed his nose. "Randall, it would be very cruel of me to leave you here." she stepped back. "I'll take your coffee down to the truck. Freshen up, or whatever. I'll be down by the truck."

Randall nodded and watched her leave then turned and went into the bathroom to do his 'business'. He then took a moment to wash his face and hands. Then with a tired sigh, he turned the light off and went to the window and opened it as he blended. He slipped out closing the window behind him. He slithered down the wall and across the ground to the truck. Danielle was leaning against the side waiting for him, pretending that she was looking at a map. Randall, still tired, couldn't help but brush against her as he passed and climbed up in the truck, the tip of his tail curling around her wrist for a second.

Danielle jumped and she heard Randall chuckle. She shook her head and smiled and then climbed up in the truck and closed the door. It wasn't until they were out on the interstate that Randall unblended. He stared out the window, confused and unsure, though he did make himself feel a bit better when Danielle passed a car that had some kids in it. They gawked at him, until he pulled a horrible face and then chuckled at the expressions on their faces. "Yep, I still got it."

"Well, I hope that it isn't catching."

Randall looked over at Danielle.

She sniggered, "I saw that Randall. Behave yourself."

"Really Danielle…can you expect any less of me?" Randall grinned tiredly.

"Not now. Not anymore. And you noticed what I noticed? I still got into trouble on Mardi Gras. We both got drunk and well…." She trailed off. What were they going to do now? She had told him that he could stay with her as long as he wanted, but would he really take her up on that offer? And if he did…how would this affect their relationship? Would it be a one-time thing or would it become something more? Did he want something more? Did she want something more? She then thought. Had it been her hangover panicked mind confusing her but had she heard him say that he may actually want to try? She had told him no, but it was only cause she didn't want to take away his chance to go home and try make a wrong a right. But now that he had no other way back, or at least one she could think of right way, he wasn't going anywhere. And since he wasn't going anywhere, could she try?

"Uh Randall?" she said shyly.

Randall looked back over at her. "Hmm?"

"About what happened…."

"Didn't we already talk about that?" Randall asked his stomach began to turn.

"Yes and no. We talked about what happened and that we aren't sorry. But it never got further then that because we thought you were leaving. I want to talk about this before we get home. I want this settled now." Danielle said as she gripped the steering wheel.

"Oh. Well…. what do you want to do? I'll take a cue from you." Randall was watching

her closely.

"I think I know what I want…but even though we had sex…. it's still right back to the spur of the moment thing…the tension, the wine… you go first…you owe me…in more ways then one." Danielle blushed.

Randall did too as he looked away. "I think I might want to try. Maybe take it somewhere." he looked back at her intently, "We both know how hard it could be…can be…will be. Hell, I know how hard regular relationships are even with your same species.

But if you are willing to try…then I am."

Danielle was thoughtful. She had always usually scorned relationships, she had always felt uncomfortable and out of place when she watched Liss and her boyfriends, but she had also watched with a certain curiosity and even a hidden jealousy. She had always believed that she was already whole, and didn't really need to be with anyone to feel that way. But she was wrong, and now she didn't know what to do about it. But that was wrong too. She knew what she should do. She sighed. "Relationships are hard," she agreed nodding. She then bit her lip and glanced at Randall. He met her eye. He was staring intently and even slightly hopeful. "But…I'm willing to try. I want to try." she reached out and Randall met her hand halfway. He entwined his long and thick three-fingered hand around her five-fingered hand.

XXX

Danielle was putting her things away, while she made Randall deal with his bead collection. The beads were nice but for the life of her she didn't know why he almost threw a fit she was ready to throw them away. She shrugged; it could be because it was his first Mardi Gras and that he 'earned' them. She rolled her eyes with a small grin. Bread whined up at her where she was lying on the bed. The dog had glued herself to Danielle since she had been home.

She jumped when a hand pressed against her back. She spun around to see no one. Suddenly green eyes flew wide open from tiny slits and Randall raised his fronds straight up.

Danielle gasped and jerked back failing on her butt on the bed. She glared up at Randall.

"Randall!" She hissed.

He chuckled and held his hand out. "I couldn't help it. It never fails."

Danielle took his hand, "Someone is in a playful mood, but it still wasn't funny."

"It was funny..." Randall said stubbornly.

"Was not."

"Was too."

"Was not. It was actually pathetic."

"Alright, you know what? _You're _pathetic!" Randall said finally.

"You know," Danielle began, "I _am_ pathetic. Here I stand, having this remarkably second-grade argument with you, when there has to be a thousand better ways to spend my Thursday afternoon."

"One such activity being..." Randall decided to humor her.

Danielle made no verbal response, just looked sidelong at him and winked before scooping up some clothes and then slipped into her bathroom to change.

Stupid!

Randall thought, _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! _For someone who had once jokingly claimed to be 'romantically challenged', she certainly knew how to torture a male.

Randall waited until a cessation of thuds and rustlings told him that Danielle had finished changing before he crossed the room and rapped on the door.

"Come in," Danielle said, "It's unlocked."

The door swung open, but Randall remained where he was, leaning against the doorframe both sets of arms crossed. "You are a cruel female," he said silkily. "You drop me a hint... and then force me to wait before I act on it? Do you have any idea what that kind of suspense _does_ to a male like me?"

"Exactly what I intended it to."

Danielle was squaring up to him... Randall had to admit, he rather liked her combative -almost controlling but still shy sexuality. He watched her, almost apprehensive as she walked up to him and gently began to run her hands over his scaly chest. He watched both her hands and her face.

Randall's scales had that wonderful warm texture that many of the large snakes and lizards that she had handled at the zoo had. They were hard, but smooth almost silk like. She ran her fingers across his narrow collarbone.

"I hate waiting." he said uncrossing his arms and slowly wrapped them around her rib cage and waist and pulled her so close that her face was right in his.

"You're so impatient." Danielle teased. "Maybe I should just keep talking and make you wait even longer."

Randall shook his head, "No."

Danielle sniggered and then pressed a sweet kiss to his mouth. It was still little awkward, but Randall's wide mouth was surprisingly tender as he kissed her back. This kiss was more certain than the others and with the only the slightest hesitation his tongue touched Danielle's lips. His heart just about stopped when Danielle opened her mouth to him. Their tongues met and came together in a slow dance, eliciting soft moan from both.

A ringing from the phone shattered the moment.

Both groaned and pulled away. "I-I should get that..." Danielle stammered, breaking away from Randall to retrieve the phone from the side of her bed this time.

Randall growled low to himself. He really hated that phone. Shaking his head, he walked out of the room back to the other bedroom and got the shock of his life.

XX

"Hello?" Danielle said grumpily into the receiver.

"Hey, D!" Liss's voice came through the earpiece. "How's life?"

Danielle raised an eyebrow, even if Lissette couldn't see her do so. "I was about to find out, but you interrupted it." she answered pointedly.

"Well that's a shame. So, I see you made it back. How did the night go?"

Danielle didn't answer. She had heard voices and it sure wasn't the TV. Not with Randall answering them back. "Uh Liss, I got to go." Danielle hung the phone up. She then quietly padded down the hall and to her old bedroom. She listened carefully through the closed door.

"So, I see that you have made yourself rather cozy right here in the Human World. Where is the human right now?" a feminine but still male sounding voice asked.

"I don't know where It is. But I do know that this door had been shredded long ago. How is it still active?" Randall asked his voice guarded.

"I think you do know where It is. After all it is HER house. As for the door. I could tell you a very long and very boring story, but I was never one for campfire tales. But I am sure you remember something called the Scream Extractor?"

That did it for Danielle. She slipped back off and went to her bedroom. She knew this was not going to be good. She dropped to her knees and reached under her bed and pulled out a wooden case. It was something she was for the first time glad she had. She opened it and pulled out her single barrel shotgun. Quickly loading it she carefully carried it back to the room, she took a deep breath and put her hand on the door.

"See Randall…I don't think there is any choice in this." the other monster said.

Danielle pushed the door open and raised the shotgun. Her eyes widened at the slight of the new monster. He was so tall and skinny. He must have been 7 feet or more. He was a bright blue with black rings around his thighs and his semi long neck and long tail. There was black marking on his back and black specks over his body and hands. He was like Randall and had extra arms, but he had three sets, the middle ones were a dark blue. But what got her was his head. His head was large and round and flat. His mouth was full of sharp teeth and he was frowning at Randall, all his red eyes on him. All twelve red eyes that moved on stocks.

"I think that Randall does have a choice. I don't know who you are, but I suggest that you better leave quickly." Danielle hissed though her voice shook

Both monsters looked over at her. She had the gun aimed right at the blue monster's chest.

Randall blinked at the sight of the gun while the blue monster's face split into a nasty grin.

"And the little Human that had clearly helped you. This has gotten more interesting," the blue monster said.

"Danielle…leave." Randall said as his eyes got bigger.

"No. I'm Cajun, no feet pue tan is going to be in my house." Danielle cocked the gun. "I'll give you to the count of three to leave. One…"

The blue monster frowned. "You better put that down, before little girls get hurt."

"Two…"

The next few seconds happened in a blur. Randall lunged forward toward Danielle, the blue monster laughed and reached out and grabbed his blue tail and with a grunt swung him into the wall just as the gun was ripped from Danielle's hands. She spun around cursing up storm but her breath got caught in her throat and she began to hyperventilate.

The very monster that had scared her from age two to age six was standing behind her. It seemed to her that he hadn't changed at all in 17 years. He was still gray, still hard shelled, still moved with crab/spider movements. His five gray green eyes were hardened as he glared at her. He held the gun in his two seven-fingered hands and with a grunt cracked it. Destroying it.

Danielle struggled to breathe, fishing in her pocket in for her inhaler.

"Boggs…you sure got yourself into a mess. It's time to come back. The Scream Extractor has been fixed but there is one problem…."

"The suction force too strong?" Randall asked as he stood up. "No hold on the energy?"

"Correct. We tested four children. All dead." Waternoose said as he stared at both

Danielle and Randall.

Both their eyes widened and they looked at each other.

"I want you to come back and calibrate the settings…."

"Yes. I had already tried. No good. I saw your little note. You are the only one that knows them," the tall blue monster said.

Randall shook his head. "No. I think that that thing was doomed from the start. It…."

Randall closed his eyes. "It should have been left alone."

Waternoose chuckled, "My boy," he said in a kind voice, though his eyes showed his true hatred, "You don't know what happened after Sullivan and Wazowski tossed you out here do you?"

Randall snorted, "Hell no. I have been stuck out here ever since."

"I was stripped of my CEO position and Sullivan is now the company's CEO." Waternoose dropped the bomb.

"What! That's….."

"Not fair? Ridiculous?"

"There are a few more words I can think of, " Randall said nodding his head absentmindedly.

"Then come back, calibrate the settings and you can help get revenge on Sullivan and Wazowski. Think about it; we both hate those monsters. We can get revenge on them for banishing you, and for taking my company."

"Tempting, but I learned a few things while out here. One, what I did was wrong, two, it would be a very bad idea…and third…" Randall began to glare at Waternoose suspiciously, "You hate me. Always have. Why give me these new offers now?"

Waternoose then smirked. He knew now Randall was no longer fooled or going to be easily swayed like he had been a few years ago. He opened his mouth to offer another alternative when Danielle spoke up.

She had been watching and listening as she had tried to get her breathing under control. Come on girl, you aren't six any more…. hell where's that monster-be-gone stick? She then noticing that it was behind her where Randall had last propped it up. She reached behind her and her hands wrapped around the handle. She gripped it and took a deep breath…then swung it out from beside her. She held it defensibly knowing it wasn't do much damage against a hard shelled crab monster, but it was better then nothing "All right Crabcakes…you may have ruined my gun…it doesn't mean I'm going to sit back and listen to this." she pointed the stick at him. "I want you to go back through that closet door and take the grinning freak over there with you. But Randall will stay."

Waternoose had figured the human female to be a mild annoyance. But the brash way she spoke to him had him looking back at her. His eyes then widened when he saw the stick. He remembered her. Not many children had ever attacked him. "You…I remember you."

"Yeah?" Danielle's voice was still shaky with her fear of him. "I'm not six anymore. I can hit harder now, so I suggest that you go on back."

Waternoose scowled. "Randall's coming with us. He's a Monster… this is the Human World. He doesn't belong. I'll overlook the fact you saw us if you just step back."

"Oh hell no!"

Randall had been slowly moving up to the side of Danielle. "You heard the lady. I'm not going anywhere. Give up on the machine. It was a failure and unrealistic from the start."

Waternoose looked from Danielle to Randall. "Oh god. How disgusting. Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Randall, you will be coming back to Monstropolis. And you will be fixing the machine and since you've opened that big mouth of yours the human is coming as well."

"Over my dead body!" Randall growled.

"That can be arranged. But not until later." Waternoose said as he moved in. "Jester." He stepped up to grab Randall, but he jumped back and onto the wall, pushing Danielle down at the same time. Waternoose missed and as he tried turned to turn his big bulk around Danielle scooted back but was picked up by the waist. She was twisted around and saw blue hands grabbing at her.

"Freeze Boggs!" the blue monster said. "Seems we got some leverage over you. Now. You come down off that wall or your little human will be in a world of pain." He then squeezed Danielle's left wrist hard.

Randall froze at the sound of a bone breaking as Danielle involuntary cried out as the monster broke her wrist.

Randall snarled low but came off the wall. "Fine. I'll go, but she stays here."

"Oh no. She comes. Now get moving." Waternoose pointed to the closet. "Never thought you would go soft Boggs."

Randall opened the closet door. "I could go into some long winded speech about how humans aren't so bad and such, but it would matter would it?"

"Smart boy. It wouldn't." Waternoose said with his arms crossed glaring at Randall.

Randall pulled the door open and walked into the door that led into a darkened room that was somewhere in the factory of MI. He turned his head to see Danielle being held by the monster that had introduced himself as Jester Bobbens. Randall met her eyes. She looked calm though there was pain on her face as she held the black and blue wrist to her chest. She looked calm but her eyes clearly showed how terrified she was. And he didn't blame her one bit. Both monsters were much bigger then her and one had already broke her wrist. He growled low when he saw Jester whisper something to her.

Danielle's wrist had white hot needle pain shooting through it and she gritted her teeth at each jarring step. The tall blue monster had hands everywhere on her. One was tangled in her hair, another holding her by the upper arm as she tried to hold the broken wrist to her chest. Another hand was around her waist and another was holding her pant's waistband.

He was giggling and sniggering and it was really getting on her nerves. Her chest and lungs were aching; her wrist was broken and was turning black and blue. She saw Randall look back at her then growl when the monster bent down so that his huge flat face was next to her, his red eyes moved around her face and head. He grinned at her as he shoved her forward after Waternoose. "Crabcakes…I'll have to remember that," he giggled at her. "Come on Sweetheart…time to enter a whole new world!" he pushed her in and closed the door behind them with the end of his thick tail.


	38. Chapter 36

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in (now) 2002. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Now WARNING. There is some language in here. **

**Chapter 36**

XXX

Randall was mad. No. He was beyond mad. He was pissed. As he now followed Waternoose through the dark factory, he glared both at Waternoose and then back at the monster that was shoving Danielle after them. Waternoose he could deal with, but that monster, Jester was giggling at Danielle and whispering to her. Whatever he was saying had Danielle blushing in anger. Randall growled loud enough that some of the eyes on the stocks swung to focus on Randall. They mocked him and Jester giggled again.

"You just keep walking Boggs, me and the little human is just having a little chat. You just better be remembering those numbers." Jester smirked at him.

Randall growled again, "And you better kept all those hands off of her. If you don't…I swear I-"

"Enough of this disgusting loyalty, Boggs. You just keep quiet and the human will be fine." Waternoose said as he threw open a door that reveled a long dark hallway that led to one of the side parking lots.

"Alive at least." Jester giggled.

Randall growled and clenched his fists. There was nothing he could do! He could take down Jester or even Waternoose, but he couldn't take both. It left one or the other wide open and able to hurt Danielle. He snarled, a bitter taste in his mouth. The idea that he had briefly hadn't worked. He had hoped that if he showed no concern to her that they wouldn't get an idea like this, even when the bastard had broke her wrist. It had hurt him too. He had heard the bone crack and Danielle's cry of pain and it had cut him to the bone. He had to struggle to keep a careless face, though he couldn't help the snarl that escaped. He had hoped that they would hear the disinterest in his voice and leave her alone. But they weren't fooled. The damn Scream Extractor. Just when he was ready to put that terror behind him the thing comes screaming back into his life. And he was right. It would have killed. He had to wonder though…how did they get it out of the basement? Cause that's not where they were heading.

"Waternoose…where did you have the Scream Extractor moved to?" Randall growled.

"Smart boy. It's been moved off the premises." There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Randall didn't say any more. This was bad. There would be no way to get Danielle back to her door if they were so far away from the factory. This was not going to have a good out come.

"If you don't stop touching me… I swear I'll give you a body to match that voice of yours!" Danielle's voice hissed.

Randall swung his head back and saw that Jester had moved his hands. The one hand on her waist had moved up until it was under her breasts and a hand clamped down on her right hip.

Randall began to pace sideways, growling. "You better keep those hands _off _of her," he snapped. There was no point in pretending she didn't mean anything to him.

Jester's eyes swung back over at Randall, "Don't mind us, Boggs, unless you want her to have more then a broken wrist." To prove his point Jester squeezed Danielle's hip until she yelped.

He snarled and lunged toward Jester, forgetting himself, when he was thrown into the hard wall. His head bounced and he hissed. Waternoose had his thick hard-shelled arm up against Randall's neck, while the rest of his body was flaying around trying to get loose. "Boggs…I warn you…you just keep walking." Waternoose then glared over at Jester. "Bobbens…stop tormenting the human and Boggs."

Jester glared lightly at Waternoose then shrugged, "Fine. There's always time later." he then grinned and began to shove Danielle forward. "I may even let you watch Boggs."

Randall was being pushed to the edge and they all knew it. Randall saw Danielle shudder but glance at Randall, "I-I'll be fine Randall." She then yelped again when Jester shoved her hard but yanked back on her hair, his laughs echoing in the hallway.

Randall snarled again and momentarily wondered if his strong jaws would crack Waternoose's plates that covered his arms.

Waternoose's five eyes swung back to Randall who was struggling in his grip. "You don't want the human harmed then you better ignore that for the most part. If you rather her dead…. then just keep on. Now you will calibrate the machine to the proper settings. Do you understand Boggs?"

"Crystal, _sir_, " Randall snarled out.

It was enough for Waternoose. He let go of Randall and Randall dropped back down on his feet. Without a word Randall was now the one following Jester and Danielle. "I never thought you would go soft. And go soft because of a human?" Waternoose was about to say more when Jester piped up in front of them.

"Waternoose…stop tormenting the Boggs." some of Jester's eyes swung around to stare at Waternoose. "If I can't have a bit of fun… neither can you. Let's just get these two to the van and then to the warehouse."

"You are already walking on thin ice Bobbens."

"I'm scared." the eyes mocked him.

Randall watched this. So Jester wasn't the least bit scared of Waternoose. And even went as far as to openly deify him. So nether trusted each other. That could be good. They followed Jester and Danielle down the hallway until they got to a fire exit door. Jester pushed Danielle into a corner and said something to her. She nodded.

He then grinned in pleasure and opened the door he looked around and his grin widened. He put two claws up to his mouth and let out a loud whistle. There was the sound of a tires screeching and then backing up.

Great, Randall thought. Another one in on this? That made things even more complicated. One he could deal with, two, with a little planning but three? It was looking more hopeless by the minute.

But then again…

Randall's sensitive tongue scented the familiar scent of his old Scare Assistant, Fungus. Randall didn't say a word however. He just waited. He heard Fungus's stutter when the small jellybean monster stuttered out, asking if they had found Randall. Jester reached out and grabbed Danielle and pulled her out of the corner and out the door and into the side of the van. Danielle grunted and then let out a gasp at the sight of Fungus, while Fungus let out a choked gasp.

"Get in the van." Jester ordered Danielle.

Danielle glared up at Jester then threw open the two back doors and climbed in. Jester giggled at her defiance and his eyes swung to Randall.

"Alright, you too Boggs." Waternoose shoved Randall forward.

Randall snarled and walked out and to the van. Fungus's eyes widened.

"R-R-R-Randall?"

Randall looked down at Fungus and had to hold back a wince. The little monster had a badly chipped tooth and a small scar on his lower lip. And the stutter was horrible and when Fungus turned around, Randall could see that slit in the fin on Fungus's back. Randall shook his head. _What did they do to you? _He thought.

Randall climbed in the van and saw that Danielle was shaking a bit and looking out the small side window. She was holding her wrist to her chest carefully, trying to give it some support. Randall scooted closer to her and reached out and touched her shoulder. She jumped slightly then looked at him.

"Danielle? Are you…"

"Alright? Is that what you are going to ask? Because I'm not fucking alight!" She snapped.

Randall winced at the fear and anger in her voice.

"Because the next time he touches me…. he will be pulling back a stump!" she snarled.

Randall blinked. And here he thought she was mad at him. He let her fume a few more minutes then put an arm around her. She had stopped shaking and her right hand wrapped around Randall's hand. Randall's head then swung to look at Fungus who had been shoved into the back with them. "How long as he been working on it?"

"A-A-A f-f-fe-fe-few m-months. H-h-he couldn't g-g-g-ge-get it working, s-s-so he m-m-made m-me help." Fungus said meekly afraid that his even worse stuttering would irrrate Randall and make him fly off the handle.

Randall had a look of annoyance on his face, but to Fungus's surprise didn't yell. "And when you did, and it got to working you all tested it, but it killed the children." Randall's lips curled in disgust. He never thought that he would be so glad that the machine had been destroyed, if that's what indeed what the thing does. Randall sighed and dropped his head in his hands. He felt a hand on his back. He looked up and over at Danielle. She was looking at him.

He sat up straighter and turned toward her and carefully took her left arm. She winced but allowed him to pull it away from her chest. The wrist was black and blue and was swollen. His eyes took it in and then looked back at her. "How bad do you think?"

"It's broken…that's for sure. As long as I don't jar it too much…I-I think I'll be fine. I'll have to be huh? My adrenaline is help keeping it from hurting too much." she pulled her wrist away and back to her chest.

Randall then glanced at Fungus. Fungus was sitting there with his jaw just about dropped. "W-what h-h-happened t-t-to you R-Randall?"

Randall smiled despite the situation, "Long story, but the facts, after I was tossed into the Human World, I was attacked by…"

"Couillons," Danielle mumbled looking out the window.

Randall looked at her, "Really? I think I can think of something stronger to call them."

"Whatever make you feel better, Randall."

"W-what did she say?" Fungus asked.

"She said idiots. Anyway, I was attacked and almost died. She," Randall nodded his head toward Danielle, "she saved me. I've been in her care since I've been gone. Danielle?" Randall looked back over at Danielle. She looked at him. Randall pointed to the little monster. "That is Jeffrey Frungus. He used to be my Scare assistant. Fungus? This is Danielle DeMarsh. She saved me."

Suddenly Danielle giggled, "This is just fucking great! Here we are in the back of a fucking van and you two are chatting like it's fucking tea time!"

Fungus blinked and then flinched, still unsure of humans in general. "W-w-w-what's w-w-w-wro-wrong with her?"

Randall took in her glassy eyes and had a feeling what it was. "Shock…I think." he grabbed her face in his three fingered hand and shook her head a bit. "Danielle? Danielle, come on girl! Snap out of it!"

She slowly blinked and became more focused and then looked at Randall and then Fungus and back to Randall. "Oh god." she sloped a little, her head resting in her hand.

"Is s-s-s-she going t-t-to be alr-alright?" Fungus asked.

Suddenly Danielle began to curse, using unfamiliar words to Fungus. "She's going to be fine…though I've never seen her that mad before." Randall said as he patted her hair.

"G-g-good. C-c-c-ause we are h-h-here. Randall f-f-for all that it's w-w-worth…I'm sorry."

Randall nodded and opened his mouth but the back doors were swung opened and the grinning face of Jester appeared beside the face of a frowning Waternoose. "We're here." Jester sniggered. "Boggs, Fungi get to work on the machine. I'll watch the little redhead." He reached for Danielle but she scrambled out the van before he could touch her, though he still wrapped an arm around her upper arm.

Randall growled and climbed out after her, Fungus following. Randall looked around. It was an old warehouse on the other side of the city. He could see the city, the skyscrapers and lights in the distance. He growled at Waternoose and Jester as he walked past them and into the warehouse. Right away he could see the Scream Extractor, the chair, and the control panel.

"Move it, Sweetheart."

Randall glanced back. Danielle had frozen at the sight of the machine. Jester shoved her forward as Waternoose closed the sliding doors.

"Alright Boggs. You and Frungus get busy." Waternoose snapped.

Growling to himself, he walked over to the machine. He could see the scratches that Sullivan had given it as he had tore it off of its bindings. Randall took the wench that Fungus handed him and he took the panel off. As he stared at the wires an idea came to him.

XX

Jester pushed Danielle over to the table and he grabbed up some zip ties, but surprisingly didn't see her snag up the little Philips screwdriver and slip it into her pocket. She knew that it was sheer luck he wasn't paying attention when she did that. He shoved her over to a corner that had some bare pipes that led from a sink across the wall and then down. Jester wrapped two hands around her waist and as she made and face and growled at him and tried to squirm away, he grabbed her wrists, both of them. She gasped in pain and froze which allowed him to quickly rig up a set of plastic handcuffs and to hook them through a pipe. He laughed at the pain on her face and let go of her. He then reached out and picked up some of her hair and gave it a pull.

Danielle was getting pissed and it was usually hard to anger her. She pulled her head back and ignored the sharp pain when her hair was pulled out of his grasp.

He sniggered, enjoying how she fought back. All the other human children didn't put up much of a fight. Of course this human wasn't even close to being a child. Not even a teenager. Not with the way she looked. Humans, very interesting little beings. Jester then grinned, "How are you feeling? Good I hope, not too uncomfortable?"

"Screw you."

He laughed in sickening amusement. "You just may later."

"And if you come any closer to me you pencil dicked son of a bitch, I swear I will neuter you and shove the balls down your ugly tchew throat! What kind of twisted ass sicko are you? Feet pue tan, goddamn son of a bitch! You are seriously fucked in the head! You creepy tchew bastard!" Danielle lost it. She was cornered, he had been saying all kinds of nasty suggestions about her and Randall and her in general, her wrist was killing her and she was scared beyond belief. When she got scared, she got mad and mouthy. Though by now she was wheezing trying to get her breath back.

By this time all the monsters had stopped doing what they were doing and was watching a human girl barely over 5'5" yell at a monster almost half her size and doing a damn good job at it.

Jester merely laughed. "You are feisty." he then watched her struggle to breathe then laughed in sheer amusement. "And she has asthma! The irony!" he watched her struggle to try to reach into her pockets. He had remembered back in the cute pink room she had put an inhaler in her pockets. He reached into her pocket and pulled it out of her right pocket. He head it out to her and Danielle reached out to take it but he pulled it away. Instead he pushed his flat face into hers. "You will get it if you give Jester a kiss." he sniggered.

Danielle was still struggling to breath and letting out a cry of pain she reached out and snatched the inhaler away from him, "Embrasse moi tchew," she hissed.

Jester's eyes narrowed and he smacked her upside the head then turned and walked away.

Danielle's head was reeling and she felt something run down the side of her temple. She ignored it and shoved the inhaler into her mouth and fired a shot off. When she finally got her breathing under control she glanced over at Randall. Their eyes met.

XXX

Randall had been watching the show out of the corner of his eye while he 'worked' on the Scream Extractor. It was all he could do not to launch himself over there and ripped in the monster that was threatening her. He was proud of how well she was holding up. But it won't be enough. They needed help.

"Yo-you really like h-h-her?" Fungus whispered as he handed Randall a sundering gun.

"I think I do more then 'like' Funk." Randall said softly and he did some rewiring. He had lied to Waternoose had had told the old monster that once he took a look at the wires there was going to be more then a calibrate. The monster didn't know much about the wire of it, so Randall was using that to his advantage.

"Th-th-then you l-l-love her?" Fungus said in a state of shock.

"I think I do. She saved me, put up with my charming self, and not once treated me like dirt. She treated me as an equal. She didn't turn me over to some agency or anything. I owe her…that's why I really need your help." Randall said as he replaced a green wire with a red one.

"M-m-me? A-a-and a-a-a-are y-y-you sure you a-a-are Randall?" Fungus squeaked.

Randall laughed lowly, sounding like his old edgy self. "Oh it's me alight. I want you to call someone. Anyone. Please Funk." he almost begged.

That was new. The Randall that he knew almost four months ago would have never begged. Not for anyone else. Fungus looked over at the human and then at Randall. He saw the injures the Reptilian monster had endured. He saw the still pink, still healing gash on the side of his head, the smaller ones on his left jaw. He saw the slightly depressed side of his crest. Fungus winced then looked away and at the main monster that beaten and hurt him the same four months. His three blue eyes narrowed then for once in his life gathered the courage to be brave. He will do this. For the four human children that didn't deserve to die the way they did, for Randall who seemed to be back to his normal self, back when he had first met the purple lizard, for the spunky human that saved Randall…and for himself.

He gave a stuttering excuse that he had to go look out in the van for a wench they needed. Waternoose waved him off and Fungus went out there and pulled out the phone. Shaking he didn't call just anybody. He called the only one that would be the safest to call and that would help, since he too was looking for Randall.

After a few rings a monster picked up. "Hello?"

"Uh…Mr. S-S-S-Sullivan? I-I-I know where R-R-Randall Boggs is a-a-a-a-and something ba-a-a-ad is going to happen real s-s-s-s-soon. We ne-eed your h-h-h-help."


	39. Chapter 37

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in (now) 2002. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**Oh God…I am so sorry that this is so late. I had a writer's block, then family medical problems and worries. But I'm back and with a long chapter. I spent three days on this, I really hope that it's adequate. **

**Now WARNING. There is some language in here but not as much as least chapter and *possible* character death.. **

**Chapter 37**

XXX

Danielle was sitting on the floor. She moved around so that she could sit down. Her wrist was throbbing and hot-needled pain pierced the nerves and she winced when she even moved it. She leaned against the wall and studied the lay out the best she could. The Scream Extractor that Randall had told her about; it hung from wooden beams from the warehouse's structure. The thing was huge and was a steel gray. It was shaped almost like a boot with yellow canisters on the back and with a long nuzzle on the end that had tubes attached to it. It was both impressive and terrifying. She watched as Randall and the little monster that was named Fungus worked on the other side of the machine. She watched Randall as his four hands worked deftly at pulling wires and adding them, taking screwdrivers and wires ad sundering guns from the little red monster. He worked as slow as he could. Occasionally he looked up and over at her. His green eyes full of pain and anger, as he would whisper to the little monster.

Danielle looked away and began to study the two other monsters. The nasty one and the one that had scared her when she was little. She studied his body with a veterinarian's study of an animal. He moved forward normally but with spider like movements though he looked like a crab. It looked like to her that the only soft pliable flesh on him was around his neck and on his head. The rest looked hard and plate like. If that was so, she thought, his weak spots would be at his joints. Her eyes then moved to the blue monster. She shuddered. How ironic he would be the one she was more scared of and not her old monster? His skin was thick but still soft enough if he so much tried anything like he had kept whispering to her. It had confused her at first why he wouldn't be so disgusted with her. It had take almost two months for her to touch Randall without him shuddering way and almost two and half for him to even touch her hand on his own. Why didn't he fear her like Randall had said that most monsters would? She then gritted as her wrist began to complain again. It didn't matter. She was to be a veterinarian not a profiler. As long as he didn't touch her, she didn't care.

She knew she could work the screwdriver out of her pocket and use it to break the plastic ties, but even if she did, where would she run? This was the Monster World she was a human. She growled to herself. She was stuck.

Looking back over at where Randall was she saw that the Jester monster, so aptly named, had walked over to where Randall was and was talking to him.

XXX

Randall had his head stuck inside the machine to see better when pain exploded in his head. Randall cursed and jerked and banged his head. He pulled his head out and saw the culprit. Jester had walked up beside him and pulled hard on the last frond that he had flatted against his head. Randall swung his head around and glared up at the monster.

Jester laughed at the dangerous look on Randall's face. "What the hell are you doing?" He asked between sniggers.

"I don't know how you called yourself an engineer if you didn't see this one problem." Randall snapped.

Jester stopped laughing, "And what problem would that be?"

"There was more to do then calibrate. You say the machine had too much suction? The problem would lay in the wiring." Randall said as he gestured to the mess of wiring.

Jester frowned and stuck some of his eyes inside and looked around. "I followed the blueprints that you had."

"And this is just the prototype. It had never been tested. Four children dead…I'd say that it had been tested then. It is more then settings then. I had other notes on that page." Randall snapped and pushed Jester aside.

Jester narrowed his eyes at Randall, "You better watch it Boggs…"

"Actually, I'd say you better watch it," Randall said as he pulled a wire and tossed it aside and took a green one from Fungus.

"And what are you meaning?" Jester asked.

"You working for Waternoose? You think he's really going to pay you or even let you walk away?" Randall said slyly.

Jester smirked, "He's paid half already. The check was good."

"Doesn't matter. He had paid me half as well and look what happened to me. I don't think he EVER planned to give me that second half and all that he promised," Randall glanced at Jester and then back into the wiring, handing Fungus a large glass fuse and took a smaller one from Fungus. Randall talked to Jester, calmly, though there was a deep underlay of hatred.

Fungus knew what Randall was doing with the rewiring and though he thought it was kinda of reckless and dangerous, it was also a sure fire way to get rid of the machine. But he didn't know what Randall was doing now. He already knew that Randall hated the monster, so why was he talking to the monster, warning him?

"And how would you know this?" Jester asked Randall suspiciously.

Randall stopped was he was doing and looked up at that monster. He chuckled low and evilly, "Because I have had time to think. Waternoose hates me…he hates you too huh?"

Jester jerked some. He didn't care whether not Waternoose hated him as long as he got paid. But this monster was telling him other wise. Jester swung his eyes over to Waternoose. "You keep working Boggs." He then stormed away and over to Waternoose.

Randall watched this then chuckled, taking the copper coil out and replaced it with a foil one that Fungus handed to him.

"Y-y-y-ou th-think that p-p-p-laying them ag-ag-against one a-a-a-another is w-a-a wise R-R-Randall?" Fungus asked meekly.

"It won't do much. Waternoose will lie and try to smooth things over. It's to try to buy us more time. When is the help coming? You did call for help right?" Randall asked as he stared at the mass of wires. There really wasn't much more to do. Time had run out.

"T-They said they w-w-would be h-h-h-here soon." Fungus said nervously. "I-I-I-I told t-t-them not t-t-t-t-to rush in th-though. They c-c-c-could b-b-be here al-already."

"Who. Is. It?" Randall growled sounding like the edgy monster he used to be.

"S-S-S-S-S-Sullivan and Waz-Wazowski."

"What?"

XXX

"Tell me why are we really helping Randall?" Mike asked as he drove the car to the closed industrial park and abandoned warehouses that Fungus had said where they were. He hadn't told Sulley much more only that he and Randall needed help and that something bad was going to happen and that they couldn't call the CDA because of the human that was being held as a hostage against Randall. He then fired off the address and had pleaded once more and hung up.

"Because what we did was wrong Mike. He did wrong and we did wrong." Sulley said simply. Sulley had woken Mike and while he was grumpy at first his eye then widened at the mention of Fungus call. He then followed Sulley to the car and he drove then both outside city limits. At first Mike had complained. Why not call the CDA? They were no heroes, that this wasn't their job. Randall was alive. Enough said. Sulley then countered with how did Randall get back and what if they had Boo?

That was enough to the green monster. He shut up for the main part and drove, though he couldn't help but wonder why would Randall care about Boo? Why would they use Boo against him when he had apparently cared less about the little toddler?

Grumbling, he drove on, until Sulley told him to turn the lights off and go slowly then stop. A few warehouses away in front of them on had lights in it. They both got out of the car and closed the doors carefully, like they both had seen on the TV. Mike followed Sulley through the tall weeds as they moved closer to the warehouse. Sulley then pressed his bulk to the side and peered into a large window. What he saw made his jaw drop.

The Scream Extractor hung from the ceiling and he could see a tall monster that was almost as tall as him, talking to the former CEO. By the machine was Randall and Fungus and in the corner by a sink was a human female that was not Boo. Not with being older and having almost red hair.

"Well…. we can safely say…that's not Boo." Mike whispered, "So…what do we do now Big Guy?"

"I don't know…."

It was then Randall happened to glanced their way and his green eyes widened for a spilt second and flashed hate and surprise. He then looked away quickly and whispered to Fungus. Fungus jerked and glanced back and saw them.

Before anything else happened the tall blue monster walked over and shoved Fungus and then Randall. He laughed and asked them something. They saw Randall hesitate for a spilt second and then nod. The blue monster then pointed to the open panel.

Mike and Sulley watched as Randall snarled at him then lift the metal panel up and screwed it back into place. Waternoose then walked over and said something to Jester who threw his head back and laughed. Randall then exploded. Waternoose grabbed him in a locking hold as the human stood up and said something to the tall monster that walked toward her. He laughed and cut the ties that was holding her wrists together somewhat and then began to drag her over to the chair in front of the machine.

Both Mike and Sulley looked at each other. "Uh oh." They both said.

XXX

Danielle had heard Jester ask Randall if he had fixed the machine. She saw the hesitation and then he nodded. Telling him to screw the panel back on, Randall did as Waternoose walked over. He then told Jester that they needed to see if it worked, to get the human. Randall snarled loudly and let out very nasty curse and lunged forward starting to blend, but Waternoose grabbed him. It looked like he was hugging Randall, but the choked gasps from Randall told otherwise.

Jester had laughed with glee and had started to walk over to her with a knife. His huge round flat face was split into a nastier grin.

Danielle gathered her legs under her and stood up. "Don't you even dare."

"Sorry Sweetheart, bosses orders," he sniggered as he cut the ties, and then grabbed her. She tried to pull away, but he tightened his hold on her wrists. Pain shot through her broken one and she gasped and her knees just about buckled. He drug her over to the round metal chair and shoved her down into it. He pulled a lap bar over her lap and locked her wrists on it.

He then ran a hand through her hair. "Such a shame. Let's just hope that you don't die, Sweetheart. Any last words for now or maybe forever?" he giggled at her.

"Yes…don't call me 'Sweetheart' and I should have pulled the trigger on two," Danielle snarled pulling her head away.

Jester laughed and stepped back and then glared at Fungus who was shaking behind the control panel. "Turn it on."

Fungus nodded and his hands turned a knob and moved three switches up. The Scream Extractor roared to life; the vacuum tube slowly began to move towards Danielle.

"She has asthma! Even if it works now… it will still kill her!" Randall screamed.

"At least we would know if it would still implode the humans, dead or not." Waternoose said coldly.

Jester hadn't said a word to anyone. A hated smile began to creep across his face as he clenched all his hands into balls.

Danielle leaned back instinctively, her teeth clenched as her eyes went wide. She tried to control her breathing and not panic but as then as the vacuum tube neared her slowly, panic began to set in and she began to gasp for air, feeling her chest tighten. She began to struggle to draw air in. She whimpered silently and opened her mouth to try to draw air in. She glanced at Randall. He was still struggling in Waternoose grip but he was also looking at the machine intently as if he was waiting for something. Suddenly there was a small smile on his lips as there was a smell of burning plastic. The Scream Extractor suddenly groaned to a halt the same time the doors flew open.

Danielle would have been shocked if she wasn't trying to breathe. She was getting a little air but it wasn't enough.

There in the warehouses doorway were two new monsters. One was even taller then Jester and had blue fur with purple spots, the other was shorter then her, looked like a lime green ball with a huge blue green eye.

"James? Wazowski?" Waternoose exclaimed. He was shocked enough that he loosened his grip on Randall. Randall hissed as he squirmed away and shoved Waternoose. Fungus had just pressed a button that released the holsters on the bar before he shoved himself out of the way. Waternoose's crab like claws scrambled to find grip but found no purchase and he fell into the control panel, it collapsing under his weight.

Danielle had slid out of the chair, still trying to breath. Her good hand slipped into her pocket and grabbed both the inhaler and the small screwdriver. She was only able to get one shot off into her mouth before she was grabbed roughly. Jester had made straight for her and he had reached her before Randall had.

He pulled her up by her arms. He held her in front of her and wrapped a hand around her neck and an arm around her waist. He bent down so that his head was next to hers and the eyes moved around her head. "You and me Sweetheart," he giggled, then some of the eyes turned to glare at Randall. "You back off Boggs, or I'll snap her neck like a twig."

Randall skidded to a stop. "Let her go."

"No. You know I will do it. You back off like a good little boy." Jester grinned.

Randall took a step back but it wasn't enough for Jester. Another hand came up and cupped over her mouth and nose. "She's already gasping for air, won't take much to suffocate her."

He was right. Danielle was still gasping for air, trying to draw air in through her protesting lungs. She saw Randall move even further back. Past him Waternoose was picking himself up and the huge furry monster was arguing with him. She squirmed in Jester's hold but couldn't get away. She could feel her pulse starting to pound in her temples. The room spun and at first she felt panicky and afraid then she got pissed. _Enough of this_…she thought as she felt a rage growing in her stomach that she had never felt before.

She still had both her inhaler and the small screwdriver. She twisted in his arms and spun around in Jester's arms, surprising him. She ripped her head away and reached up and pulled a few of his eye stocks hard.

He yelled in pain and made to hit her after he grabbed her hair in his fist and twisted her head around painfully. She angled the screwdriver and his hand came down on it. It dug into his palm and went through the back. He shrieked and shoved her away.

Danielle gasped still struggling to breath. Arms wrapped around her as she stumbled. Randall carefully held her then helped lower her so that she could sit down and try to catch her breath. He stepped in front of her, for now putting trust in his former rival to distract or even take care of Waternoose. He had a bone to pick with this monster.

"I told you to keep your hands off of her. I don't know why you aren't scared of humans and rightly…I don't care! But… you don't touch this one!" Randall snarled, his tail whipping side to side and his fronds flattened.

Jester pulled the screwdriver out of his hand and it clattered to the floor. He squeezed his hand shut and glared at Randall. The eyes stocks that Danielle had pulled were unfocused and blinking like mad. He grinned though there was no humor. "Too bad, boy, and now she hurt me and I have to teach the little female her proper place. Whatever you did to the machine I don't care. It looks like game is over and I'm not leaving empty handed."

A growl rumbled from the bottom of his chest to his throat and then slipped past his lips. "Oh hell no!" Randall snapped and he rammed into the taller monster, his teeth bared and sent himself and Jester flying into the floor.

Both monsters growled and snapped and punches were thrown at faces. Suddenly Randall blended which caused Jester to lose focus on where he was punching and pulling at. He still felt Randall, but no longer knew where he was gripping. Finally Jester was flipped and he landed hard on his back Randall reappearing. Randall's top hands was around the neck of the monster and his bottom hands and both his feet was gripping all of Jester's hands in an iron-grip, his tail was tightly wrapped around the monster's belly and was squeezing with incredible force.

Jester gagged and then slammed his head into Randall's. Normally this wouldn't hurt too much, but Randall was only four months into healing from a head trauma. His head was still tender. Randall yelped in pain and loosed his grip. It was enough for Jester to pull Randall off and throw him slightly. "Enough of this shit! I did not sign up for this!" Jester stood up and his eyes stock moved out from his head where he had drawn them in to protect them. He glared at Randall where he was picking himself up of the ground. He looked over to where Waternoose had been boxed by Sullivan. "Sorry, boss, but this is too much. You didn't pay me enough to tussle with your past employees." Jester then made a beeline for the open doors. A few minutes later a car starting and pulling away.

Waternoose had stared in shock then began to yell after Jester calling him a coward and all other names. He then tried to move away from Sullivan, but the blue furred monster shook his head and shoved him against the wall again.

Randall's head was throbbing as he turned around. Danielle was sitting up and trying to breath again. He went over and touched her head. She jerked and looked up tense. Danielle relaxed when she saw Randall. She closed her eyes and heaved a sigh.

"Can you stand?" Randall asked softly, a slight growl still in his voice.

Danielle wheezed a few more times, then nodded. "Yes." her voice was a tiny squeak.

Randall helped her up and ignoring everything else for the time being, he hugged her. "We have to get out of here. Will you be alright?"

She nodded still wheezing. She pulled back and took a few more puffs on her inhaler. God did her chest hurt.

"Good. I still have some business to attend to." Randall walked over to the table and began to gather all the blue prints up.

Wazowski walked up his arms crossed. "So…. you alive Lizard Boy?" He then began to yell, "What the hell are you thinking you creep! That damn machine again? I always knew you were no good! And now you are back and this whole mess is starting over again! And with another human! And she's-"

While Wazowski had been sneering and yelling Randall had tried to control his anger and disgust of the little monster. His lips kept curling and growls rumbled in the back of his throat. Finally he gathered all of the notes and blue prints and rounded on Mike.

"For once in your stupid life shut your big ass mouth and pay attention! Now leave me the hell alone!" Randall clenched the papers in his fist. Randall was shaking in his anger and then pushed Wazowski onto the floor with all of his strength. Wazowski shut up and cowered in fright. With a huff, Randal walked past him, past the Scream Extractor that had a strong odor of burning plastic and low buzz. He had rigged it so that it would over heat. Everything inside was melting and popping. All that left would be a nasty metal shell.

Randall hurried past it and near to where Sullivan and Waternoose were. Sullivan was leaning all his strength onto Waternoose, pinning the stocky monster against the wooden wall. He was arguing with Sullivan. Telling him that the Scream Extractor doesn't even have to be called the 'Scream' Extractor, just the Extractor. That it could work on laughs as well as screams. That it would draw even more out.

Sullivan didn't want to hear it. He was shaking his head.

Waternoose stopped talking when he saw Randall walk up with the papers. He glared at Randall. "Well…it seems you can't do anything right. You ruined the Scream Extractor…"

Randall grinned callously, "No…I fixed it all right. It will go into a melt down soon. Nothing but an empty metal shell. And the blueprints? The only copies. They are going to get destroyed as well."

"You won't do it." Waternoose shoved against Sullivan. "You spent years on it. You won't destroy it."

"What is he talking about Randall?" Sullivan asked as he grunted with the force Waternoose shoved against him.

Randall curled a lip and glanced at Sullivan. "You are an idiot." he said simply. He then glared at Waternoose and sniggered lowly. "I did waste a few years…on something that was actually unrealistic and dangerous. I did waste years on this piece of crap that you wanted!" Randall snarled. He then began to rip the papers.

Waternoose did a mighty heave and threw Sullivan off of him. Sullivan had loosened his grip when he saw Randall began to rip into something that he had obviously spent so much time on.

Sulley fell into the machine and his weight caused it to groan and break from the wooden beams and fall into the wall. He jumped back away from it. It was burning hot. He could smell burnt fur. He then twisted his head when he heard Waternoose's crab claws scrambling after Randall. Randall had moved away and began to taunt Waternoose, making the crab monster anger. Waternoose growled and went after him like a bull. Randall led him deeper into the warehouse, moving nimbly around crates.

Sulley stood up and debated where or not to go after the two when Mike shouted.

"Uh…. Sulley! Look!"

Sulley looked behind him. The red-hot humming machine was burning a hole against the wooden wall where he had knocked it. The old dry wood had heated up and was smoking.

"Come on Sulley! Let's get out of here!" Mike then shouted at the human.

She had begun to cough from the smoke in the air. Sulley went over to her unsurely. He held out a claw. "Come on…we need to get out of here." he spoke to her like she was a child.

She looked up at him like he was idiot. She was still coughing and she glanced back where Randall had disappeared to. "W-what about Randall?" she wheezed.

Sulley shook his head. "I don't know…he could have a plan. I…hope he does. Now come on. This smoke is getting worse."

"I know it i-" she broke off coughing. "But-" she began to cough again glancing back to where Randall and Waternoose took off to.

It was then there was a hiss and the smoking wood caught fire. Sulley's and Danielle's eyes widened. He grabbed her. "Now! We have to go!"

"No! No…Not-"She doubled over coughing.

Sulley saw his chance and easily picked her up and began to carry her out of the warehouse. The human wiggled and tried to get away while she coughed, but hissed at him between coughs. She was saying words he didn't understand.

"You…" she coughed and wheezed, "over grown…teddy bear!" more coughing and wheezing. "Fils de putain! Maudit!" she coughed. Tears were in her eyes as she struggled and coughed.

Sulley set her down by the van and pinned her shoulders back with one hand against the van. He looked at her and the warehouse in worry. She seemed to be really upset that Randall was still inside and to tell the truth, Sully was too. There was a loud groan and a hiss as the old dry wood caught fire and in a matter of minutes the warehouse was in flames.

All four beings watched as there seemed to be no way anyone would still be alive now. The human's breath stopped as her eyes went wide. She then whispered. "No. No." Her breaths then wheezed even louder as panic set in and she slid down to her knees trying to breathe.

XXX

Randall led Waternoose on a rampage to the back of the warehouse. It was darker, but he used his tongue and heat sensors to navigate. He ripped the blueprints as he went letting them fall on Waternoose to add insult.

Waternoose was screaming at him, his own temper clouding his blue blood mind. _Just a little more._ Randall thought. He would blend and slip up behind Waternoose and with grunts shoved the stacked wooden crates, to block Waternoose's path behind him. Randall then would run back ahead and taunt and curse Waternoose.

"Come on old man. You yelled…put me down for years while I built a machine that kills. That would kill children. It's sick!" Randall snarled as he darted out of the way of Waternoose.

"They are humans. Nothing more!" Waternoose snapped as he moved around a crate.

"Children! And humans are just like us!" Randall threw the remains of a shredded blueprint at Waternoose and dodged as Waternoose swiped at him.

"You have turned too soft Boggs! Just like James. You both felt in love with humans. And yours is even worse! You actually love her!"

"Yes I do. And I'm not the least bit ashamed to admit it." Randall said as he darted out of the way.

"It's disgusting. They are animals…livestock! Meat!" Waternoose roared.

Randall climbed up the wall and it was then he found himself in smoke. He coughed and then looked toward the front. The whole front of the warehouse was on fire and it was spreading fast. He bared his teeth, only hoping that Danielle had gotten out. He looked down at Waternoose. The monster hadn't realized that he was in danger. Ah. Wait now he did. Randall moved up toward a broken window. "I suggest Waternoose…" Randall yelled, "That you better get out. There is a back door to your left beyond that tower of crates."

Waternoose ignored him and took a right running right into tower of crates that teetered and rocked. They crashed down on Waternoose. There was shout then nothing. Randall winced. "Ouch." he said bitterly. Well, he did warn him. That's all that counted. He really hadn't meant for the fire. The idiot Sullivan did that. Randall took the time to rip the last blue print and drop it. Just before the rolling fire reached him, Randall slithered out the broken window and down the side of the hot wood of the warehouse and to the ground and moved quickly over old junk and weeds to the front of the warehouse where everyone was standing back from the fire. He smirked but turned cold when he saw that Danielle was pushing away Sullivan and Wazowski. They were trying to help her sit up.

"Don't touch me!" She was hissing, her breathing hard. She was staining to even talk that the last word had been a squeak. Her lips were a pale blue and her skin was pale as she struggled to breathe.

He heard them exclaim in surprise as he appeared. He knew that they could have very well have thought he had still been in the warehouse. He ignored them and their questions as he ran over and kneeled beside her and held her up straight so that she didn't slouch and block her airway. Wazowski sneered at him but then the face turned to shock when he saw Randall touch and hold the human up gently and her not pushing him away like she had with him and Sulley when they had seen the human struggling to breath. His eye grew wider when he saw Randall pat the human's legs like he was looking for something. Randall shook his head.

"Wazowski!" he snarled, "Look for a gray inhaler. She must have dropped it."

Mike huffed, "I don't listen to you Lizard Boy!" No sooner the words were out of his mouth, he landed on his butt. Randall's tail had wrapped around his left ankle and had pulled his feet out from under him.

"Find. It." Randall growled dangerously.

He cowered in fright and clambered back on his feet, and began to look around in the grass for it, as did Sulley. As he did they heard Randall talking to the human.

"Danielle…calm down. I'm right here… come on calm down. Slow your breathing…" Randall said in worried tone.

Danielle tried to listen but her panic had been too great. She was so glad that Randall was out of the warehouse, but she couldn't catch her breath. Blood pounded in her ears, and she tried to breathe, her lungs only getting in a little air, but not enough. She was slowly suffocating. Her vision was turning dark.

"Shit. Hurry up!" Randall watched as she turned paler and her eyes beginning to roll up in her head.

"I can't find it! It might be inside!" he looked up at the wooden warehouse that was up in flames.

"Damn it." Then to all of their shock Randall laid her down and opened her mouth and cupped his wide month over hers and blew into her mouth. He took another deep breath and blew hard again. He kept doing in over and over, trying to get her airways to open up some. The forced air began to work as she began to squirm. Randall continued, when heaven sent them a tiny jellybean angel. Fungus ran up holding a small inhaler.

"T-T-This i-i-is mine. It m-m-m-might not w-w-work, but it's b-b-better then nothing."

Randall didn't waste any time; he continued to breathe into her mouth as Danielle tried to draw air in. He pulled back and then pushed the inhaler into her mouth. Every time she tried to breath in he fired a shot of the medicine. It wasn't the best thing for her bad attack, but they couldn't very well take her to hospital. Finally after six blasts she pushed Randall away and turned to her side and began to cough and wheeze and gag. As she did this, Randall, still ignoring Sullivan and Wazowski, held her hair back as she gasped for air. Finally she stopped and though she still wheezed, she was breathing, drawing in painful breaths.

Danielle slowly looked up and met Randall's green eyes. "Are you all right?" she rasped.

Randall nodded. "And you?"

She gave him a half mocking smile, "You really want me to answer that?"

Randall felt his chest chinch. "Only if you don't spout out anymore of that language of yours. Man, your sister sure had a foul mouth."

"No. That was all mine." Danielle grunted softy at the pain in her chest. She then reached out and touched his cheek. "Randall…" she said softly.

Randall nodded and took her hand. He opened his mouth but was interrupted by Mike.

"Uhhhh…. as interesting as this is…." he looked thoroughly confused and disgusted, "but the flames is going shy high. The fire trucks could be here soon."

"Mike's right Randall. She's a human. She can't be found." Sullivan said.

"Well? What do you propose Sullivan?" Randall snarled as he stood up and helped Danielle stand up.

"Well…."Sulley began.

"Oh no! No, no, no, no! He's NOT staying with us! And that's a human! This is that kid all over again!"

Sulley grabbed Mike and drug him around to the other side of the van. "Mike, they don't have anywhere else to go. We can't sneak her back to the factory right now. They will have to stay with us."

"He tried to kill us! He's a bad guy! We saw him…he's alive and looking well, might I add…now let's walk away."

"You forget? If she is found, they will still know that she got out from MI. She's not a child…I don't think she'll be much trouble…and Randall…"Sullivan paused for a moment, glancing around the van at the human and Randall. He raised a eyebrow. Randall was holding the human by the waist as she leaned weakly against him. Her own arm was around his shoulders. Randall no longer seemed as evil as Sullivan had recalled. If he was even 'evil' to began with. "No, Mike. They stay with us."


	40. Chapter 38

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in (now) 2002. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**The little procrastination bug bit me and then the family medical problem bug bite and I'm just cover in bug bites. I hope that you are all still happy and wanting to read this. **

**Now WARNING. There is some language in here.**

**Chapter 38**

**XXX**

They found that they couldn't leave right away. The moment Danielle climbed into the red car, Randall behind her, the industrial park become alive with police cars and fire trucks. Danielle ducked down into the floorboard while Randall blended. They stayed there, Randall holding her right hand.

"You know…this was not one of the thousand better ways to spend our Thursday afternoon." Danielle hissed quietly from the floorboard.

Randall chuckled in the back of his throat and reached out and brushed another hand against her cheek. "I know. But I'm sure we can make it up later." He spoke softly.

"Yeah…"Danielle's forehead hit the seat. "Next time…have your friends to call first." Danielle moaned in pain, her adrenaline slowing down and the full force of the broken wrist were now hitting her. She took a deep breath then almost cried out in pain. Her lungs…they were on fire and she still couldn't breath properly. She needed to get to the hospital and also get a hold of her small oxygen tank. Her asthma attacks hadn't been this bad since she was thirteen.

Randall ran a worried hand over her head as he growled softly. _Come on_, he thought.

It seemed like hours before Sullivan and Wazowski climbed into the car, as did Fungus. Without a word, the one eyed green monster started the car and they backed up and drove out of the industrial park.

Randall couldn't handle it. He unblended and glared at the two monsters in the front seat. "So? What happened what did they say?"

Mike mumbled something but he didn't answer Randall. Sulley however turned slightly to look at Randall. "We told then what happen some. With…uh…Jester and Waternoose. We even had to tell them you was back, but was…uh…passed out. They will want all our statements tomorrow."

"Basically Lizard Boy…we lied for you." Mike snapped. "You don't know how much trouble we can get in. Not only did we lie to the police but we will be harboring a human…again!"

Randall chuckled lowly. "Like old times then huh? You did the same damn thing with that kid. Besides not only am I in trouble you two are as well. You harbored a human kid _and _banished me illegally. Who knows how many lies you two told to cover your own asses." Randall then let out a surprised yelp. He looked down at Danielle that was still huddled in the floor being Sulley's seat. She had yanked hard on his tail.

"Zip it for now, Randall," Danielle hissed grumpily. "You three can tear into each other later and play the blame game, but right now…I want to get the fuck off of this floor and get somewhere that I won't be seen…even if it is their place."

Randall nodded and sat back. He would still give the two a piece of his mind later. "So…what else was said?"

"I t-t-told them the sh-shortened ver-ver-version of what h-h-h-happened. They w-w-want our fu-fu-full-"Fungus tried to get out.

"They will want our full statements and that they are sure that the CDA would want to talk to us. All of us." Sulley finished.

"God. Do you know what that means? They may come to the apartment! Then they'll find the human!" Mike exclaimed.

"And this human hears you and she has a name!" Danielle wheezed from the floor of the car.

"Relax and save your breath…"Randall whispered to her as he touched her cheek.

Danielle groaned and pressed her forehead back into the seat. Randall buried his hand into her hair and allowed the strands to fall through his thick fingers. Randall then lifted his head. "Then we won't wait. We go to them."

Sulley and even Mike blinked at that. Sulley turned and looked back at Randall. Randall had lost interest in talking to them. Instead he was looking down at the human. He was whispering to her as he played with her hair. She would nod or shake her head and whisper back to him as well. It was so odd to see.

They took Fungus home, with the plan to all met outside of the CDA the next day. Within twenty minutes Mike pulled to a stop in front of his and Sulley's apartment building. Randall looked around and rolled his eyes. "Why am I not surprised?" he snarked.

"What? Did you live on the high life? Not good enough?" Mike rolled his eye.

Randall grinned darkly, "Oh yeah I lived the high life on 483 Ave."

Mike shut his mouth fast. That was not a good neighborhood at all. In fact, it was one of the most dangerous and run down neighborhoods in the city. He sighed and got out looking around as Sulley was doing the same. Randall slipped out of the car and helped Danielle out. She stayed close to the car incase she had to dive back in. It was still very dark, the only light from a few windows and the streetlights. Mike had moved to unlock the building's door. He peeked into the hallway then waved at them. Sulley moved forward with Danielle following behind closely with Randall close behind standing as tall as he could. They made it inside and then the four followed each other to the stairs. Danielle didn't say a word or complaint until the second floor. With pained tears in her eyes at the sharp pains in her chest, she bent over wheezing. Mike was at the top of the third floor when he looked back.

"Uh Sulley? You might want to give them a hand."

Sulley turned around and saw that the human had turned pale and Randall was helping her up the stairs. They were making a fast progress, but the loud wheezing rattle that he heard from her had him wincing. He went back down and stood in fount of her. "I-uh can…"

"Spill it Sullivan," Randall snapped.

"It'll be faster if I can carry you." Sulley finally got out. This was not a child that liked to be carried. The human had already voice her opinion about him carrying her.

Danielle winced, but nodded. She tensed as he took a hold of her and picked her up easily. She heard Randall growling in disgust but he didn't say a word. She gritted her teeth as he moved up the stairs fast. Each step jarred her hand and she held back cries of pain. It was getting so she couldn't ignore it. It didn't take long before they came to a door on the third floor and hurried inside. The blue furry monster set her down carefully. It was then he really saw her wrist.

"Do-"

Danielle took a moment to catch her breath the rattle dying down after she took a shot off of Fungus's inhaler he had given her. "Ok, please…I need ace bandages, newspaper or magazines and a old bath towel and ice."

Sulley stared at her then nodded. Danielle looked around and then found a kitchen that was connected to the living room. Randall and Mike had both been pulling blinds down.

Randall went over to her when she set down. "You going to splint it?"

Danielle nodded. "Yep. I'm going to numb it with the ice, take the swelling down and then check and see if it's just dislocated. I _hope_ that it is."

"And if it's not?" Randall met her eyes.

Danielle shuddered, "Hope I can get home soon."

Sulley came back with the things she requested and she soon had an audience. She had Randall to rip the towel into strips as she placed the ice on her wrist.

Mike crossed his arms. "So…what you some kind of doctor where you are from?"

"Kind of." Danielle said curtly, "I'm a part-time grad student. I'm going to school to be a veterinarian."

Mike blinked then, "That's how she saved you Lizard Boy? Boy wasn't you lucky."

Randall narrowed his eyes at Mike as he viciously ripped a strip of cloth.

"So…you did save Randall?" Sulley asked to help ease the tension.

"Yes. I found him a few hours after you two threw him into my neighbor's trailer. They almost killed him and then dumped him out on in the ditch. I found him and took him home." Danielle then glared at both the monsters. "And yes… he told me everything."

Mike then began to protest. "And I bet he told you lies. Made himself to be some kind of tragic victim!"

Randall's nerves were just about shot. "Just like you possible made yourself some big time hero?" Randall pointed at Mike.

Danielle then met Sulley's blue eyes. She sighed her chest aching, "Not now. Randall chill!"

Randall huffed and then crossed one set of his arms and then made a point to ignore Mike. He turned his attention to Danielle. "What do you want me to do?"

Danielle smiled shakily at him. "Hold my arm still."

Randall did so and gritting her teeth, Danielle then felt around on her wrist. She felt what she was looking for and thanking for the little luck she found that a big part of her wrist was just dislocated. The radius bone was popped out of place. With a few deep breaths she did a hard twisted and with a loud pop had all of them widening their eyes and leaving her slumped in the chair, sobbing, her head buried in her other arm.

Randall grimaced and put two arms around her as he picked the left wrist up and placed it back on the table and put the ice pack on it. The disfigurement was gone and what was left now was black and blue bruising, green in some places. He then held her close as she cried softly. Not caring if the other two saw, he brushed her hair back. "Shh…Danielle…we don't need another attack now do we?" he whispered in her ear, pushing his lips to her wet cheek.

Danielle shook her head, "No..no." She then sat up and dried her tears. She then saw that Sulley had a bottle of some kind of pills and a glass of water. He had look of sympathy while the green monster looked kinda of pale and shook at what she had just done.

Danielle knew she was paler then normal herself. God, she had no idea that it would have hurt that much. Randall picked up the bottle and took two out and handed them to her. Danielle looked down at them then up at him. They were multicolored and was triangle shaped.

"The closest thing I can describe them as Aspirin. They're painkillers." Randall explained.

Danielle sighed and popped them in her mouth and then took the water. She slowly drank it, the cold water easing her raw throat. She felt a lot began to ease up on her. Setting the glass down, she got to work on her wrist. She took the ice pack off and wrapped it in the ace bandage. Then with Randall helping her she took the newspaper and wrapped them around her forearm, creating a tube. She then had Randall to wrap the strips of cloth around the 'cast'. They tied the last one and looked up at each other.

Mike and Sulley had been watching the interaction between the two.

"Uh…Sulley…Buddy…tell me that I'm not imaging this…but I think that those two are a lot closer then you and Boo were…a lot closer." Mike whispered to Sulley.

Sulley nodded watching as Randall pushed some of the human's reddish hair back, "I think so…." then both he and Mike had their musings answered when Randall pressed a soft kiss to the human's lips.

Sulley blinked, surprised and speechless.

Mike's jaw dropped and his large eye began to twitch. "Did-did he just…."

Sulley nodded, "He did."

XXX

Danielle was curled up on couch at one end, Randall tied in a knot beside her and looking down right disgusted.

Mike and Sulley, as they told her to call them was staring at the both of them. Finally both her and Randall had enough.

"What!" they both snapped.

The monsters flinched. "Uh…are you two like together?"

Danielle flushed but rolled her eyes, "Not that I have to answer that…but yes we are."

A look of surprise crossed Sulley face while a look of disgust came upon Mike's face.

"That's so…disgusting! I mean…how can…. what?" It then seemed to be an overload on Mike's brain and he had to sit down.

"I don't think we came here for your blessings Wazowski!" Randall snarled. "I don't care what you think."

Danielle shook her head still flushing as Mike looked over at her crossing his arms. "How many lies he did tell you? Like I said, probably made himself out to be…"

"Some poor little victim. You already said this. And no he didn't. He had the chance to, and I wouldn't have known any different, but he told me what he did. With the…" Danielle paused and swallowed hard, "With-with the Scream Extractor. What he intended it to do. Even told me how he almost killed you…Sulley," she said a bit awkwardly.

"And you are all right with this? You are as screwed up as he is!" Mike exploded.

Before Sulley could intervene and shut Mike up and before Randall gave into his mad urge to tackle the Eyeball, a cushion hit Mike in the face.

Danielle glared at him. She had another cushion ready to throw. Her eyes were narrowed. "Tuat t'en grosse bueche Wazowski! With your big assed eye, you are sure blind as hell! Stress! You don't know what stress can do to you, boy! You both should have seen him when I first met him. He was so stressed out it wasn't funny! It took forever to calm him down and even be polite. I didn't like what he did. It was stupid and foolish. But I listened to his side. Before too much else happens…you two should hear it from him too."

Randall looked over at Danielle sitting on the couch. Her ashen gray coloring was long gone and she was breathing better, though every time she took a deep breath she would grimace slightly as if it hurt. And with all things considered…he had no doubt that it did. She was also cradling her writ to her, supported in the homemade cast. He turned back to the two monsters and glared at both Mike and Sulley. Mike was looking nervous and disgusted, while Sulley for some reason looked relived that Randall was there.

"I do have few words to say to you both. In fact…more then a few!" Randall said as he narrowed his eyes further, fists clenching slightly and unclenching, ever so slowly, at his side. _I can do this_. He thought. _I can handle this. If I can just keep a lid on my temper. _Slowly he took a deep breath. He took another.

He then burst out, his 'calm' composure finally shattering. "You two goddamn sons of a bitches!" He raved, waving both pairs of arms. His fronds were raised menacingly; the skin under his scales flushed a furious red. He advanced on them both.

They both flinched, a quite satisfying manner for Randall. "You. Almost. Had. Me. Killed." He punctuated every word with a growl.

"I worked my fucking tail off to become that "Top Scarer". That was my fucking right! I worked fucking hard for it! Harder they you ever had in your sweet little life! That was mine until you and your little buddy strolled in all pretty as you fucking please!" This was said in a sickly sugar sweet sarcastically mocking tone, "Then you stole that title from me! All because you were all because you were buddy buddy with Waternoose. And!" Randall screamed, "And! If that wasn't enough…. You!" Randall pointed at the little green Eyeball, "Your foul mouth would fly out insults! You continued to rub the salt into the wounds! Then Waternoose asked me to build that stupid fucking machine! He may have first chosen me to build the Scream Extractor, it didn't mean he fucking trusted or even liked me. While I was breaking my back every night of the week, he continued to favor YOU!" Randall then pointed at Sulley, his tail whipped through the air, almost cracking like a whip. He rose up, his long body stretching out even more. His fronds had long past flushed to blood red.

"For two and a half fucking years! Years! I began to suffer sleep deprivation. I devoted longs nights, my lunch periods, holidays, and every fucking spare minute to that hunk of metal. If that wasn't enough I had YOU," Randall pointed back at Mike, "breathing down one side of my neck, reminding me that all I was was second rate! Waternoose breathing down the other, telling me that I was never good enough and telling me to hurry up and finish it!" Randall's upper torso stretched out even more. His body was shaking with rage and the restrained urge to simply lunge forward and attack both of them. He pointed back at Sulley, "Then again you got in my fucking way! By sticking your nose where it didn't belong, you woke up that kid and let her in! She was asleep when I had called that door! You woke her somehow and she got in. By doing that the CDA found out! Then it fell apart! You tore the fucking machine off its fucking mechanical arm and tossed it aside like trash! Two and half years of my life went down the fucking drain in the coarse of ten seconds when you destroyed the machine. It may have been Waternoose's idea, but it was my machine! I built it with my four hands! I lost my dignity over it, I lost myself over it. I changed…I changed so much! That stupid machine was the only thing keeping me alive; despite it was slowly killing me! Then you fucking banished me! Illegally! See what the fucking humans did!" Randall jabbed a finger at his head, at the still pink, still healing gash. He jabbed at his head again showing them the slightly depressed side of his crest. "They almost killed me! Killed me! They took a primitive tool…a shovel… and slammed it down on my head not once, not twice but four fucking times! On my head! Then my leg. They would have skinned me and ate me and dumped the rest of me out on some Godforsaken road!" Randall then grinned, though it wasn't a nice grin. He was grinning at the fact that both Mike and Sulley now looked completely shocked and sickened.

"Nice huh? And that's right they would have eaten me! The only thing that saved me from that was being too skinny and purple! And then to top it all off both of you get away with it! Not only that, but you fucking benefited from it! You feet pue tan!"

Danielle had sat through the entire rant quietly. She wasn't fazed at all. Not any more. He deserved to shriek and scream and yell at them. She smiled faintly when he ended the rant with something that nether monsters clearly understood and something he had picked up from her.

Randall snarled and then tuned his back on them. He walked over to Danielle his whole body shaking weakly. He reached out his bottom set of hands and while his top ones held his head.

Without hesitation Danielle took his hands in her one hand. They were shaking and she just held them. She just stared up at Randall, holding his hands. She then slid off the couch shakily. Ignoring the very curious looks from the other two monsters she took the hands and put them around her waist. Immediately they clamped around her. She then reach out her arm took his hand from his head. She made him look at her. Danielle then nodded meeting his tired eyes. She then pulled him into a hug, wrapping her arms around his narrow shoulders while his first arms came down and under her own and came together behind her. He buried his head into her hair and sighed heavily.

She opened her eyes and though both monsters looked like they could do damage to her, she glared at both of them. She pinned them with the complete dislike in her eyes. Her eyes that clearly said 'Shut the fuck up and stay where the hell you are'.

They winced but didn't move. They did look away however looking very uncomfortable. She didn't know how long she held Randall or he held her, but she didn't care. With another sigh, he pulled away. "I think I'm ready." he told her.

"Go ahead…but only…only if you want to. It wouldn't change anything between us if you do or don't. It's your choice." Danielle said softly.

"I-I think I want to." he took a few steps away from her and looked over at the two monsters that he used to hate. Used to. That was a funny word for him. "Sullivan…Wazowski?"

They looked back at him.

"Yes?" Sulley asked.

"I …I…" He ran a hand through his fronds. "I don't think I hate you two anymore…but I don't forgive you for upsetting my Top Scarer position and I don't forgive you for even destroying two and half years of back breaking work and I don't forgive you for tossing me through that door…maybe… I mean I think in the future I can…but not right now…. but I do think I can try to maintain some degree of mutual acquaintanceship. That is all I have to offer. For now." Randall took a deep breath.

Everyone was quiet.

Mike looked most startled by this. He opened his mouth but for once he had nothing to say. But Sulley did. Although it wasn't forgiveness Randall gave, what he offered was the first step. And it was enough.

"Thank you."


	41. Chapter 39

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in (now) 2002. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**The little procrastination bug bit me and then the family medical problem bug bite and I'm just cover in bug bites. I hope that you are all still happy and wanting to read this. **

**Ok…I did it. I got it up before I leave tomorrow. Lots of good luck for Tuesday! **

**Ok the trial of Randall…hope that I did good with it.**

**Chapter 39**

XXXX

Danielle was dozing in a fitful sleep. She had a headache pricking behind her eyes and she groaned in annoyance as she opened them. She looked around at the apartment and groaned again. It hadn't been some strange dream. It had actually happened. She tried to sit up from where she was leaning against the end of the couch. She had been sleeping almost sitting up, her head leaning against the back of the couch. She noticed a weight and warmth against her side.

She looked and smiled when she saw Randall leaning against her, his top half of his body against hers. His top arms were folded, but his second set was wrapped around her waist. His head was down and his flat jaw was touching his chest. Danielle shook her head at him and wiggled out of his grip, knowing him to be a heavy sleeper. She stood and Randall grumbled in his sleep and curled up on the couch.

She then stood up stretching and cracked her back, then looked around feeling kinda lost. So this was how Randall felt in her world. She sighed and hung her head a bit.

"Uh…Danielle is it?" the deep voice of Sulley had her to spin and see him in the kitchen at the table.

She had jumped a bit, but she nodded. "Yeah. Sulley…right?"

He nodded his great head. "I don't know if you drink coffee…"

"I do. In fact I could use some." Danielle walked over and took the mug he held out. She eased over to the coffee pot, still unsure with him. He wasn't like Randall who was her size, he was huge and he made her slightly nervous. She poured the coffee into the mug, never even really blinking at the thickness. Randall had pulled that trick on her once. He had made the coffee so thick one time she felt that she needed a spoon so that she could drink it.

She then sat down at the table across from him and took a sip of the coffee.

Sulley was watching her. She was so differed from what he had seen and knew of Boo. True she was an adult but he had still expected that she would act like a child…not like that of an adult monster. This was showing him even more that humans were just like monsters. "So…uh…what made you save Randall?" he asked.

She looked back at him, her brown hazel eyes staring at him. "I will admit that when I saw him, I thought he was an animal. I love them, that's why I'm becoming a veterinarian. I got him into my truck and basically stitched his head back together. It wasn't until the next morning that I realized he was sentient...that he could talk. Then despite his biting words and his rudeness, I still cared for him. He was a mess. The jumpiness, the nightmares, not trusting. It took him a full mouth to call me by my name instead of 'Human'. He finally told me what happened and what he did. It did shock me…I even had thoughts to send him on his way. But I saw the regret. I saw it and I gave him a chance. A chance that he deserved, no matter what you and that green pea in there thinks! He's smart. He just made some bad choices. We all do. His almost cost him and you and a few others lives. He regrets it. He's too proud to truly admit it, but he does."

Sulley winced and looked away. Her voice was soft, but there was tone of accusing in it. "I admit that I never thought any of the possibilities through. That I should have turned him over to the CDA."

"You probably should have. You also probably should have stopped and asked yourself…why is he acting like this? He told me that you three knew each other since the last year of high school and then collage. I don't know how he acted then…but I am very sure it wasn't when I first met him. You knew him longer then I do…why the hell didn't you noticed?" her voice was now accusing. "He was right…you was too wrapped up in that stupid scare thing and in you own little world to notice how a past school mate and colleague was changing. You didn't have to be friends… but I sure that if you opened your eyes, you see what he was going through. It was stupidly and blindness on your part!"

Sulley opened his mouth to defend himself, but he found that he had nothing. She was right. But he did have a question for her. "Danielle…what me and Mike saw last night…between you and Randall…you two are friends I get that…but why are you defending him so much? Is there more then a friendship?"

Danielle was then stubbed. She knew she loved him. She just hadn't told Randall. She thought he did too, but it was an awkward subject. She hadn't even said it out loud. She looked up into the monster's blue eyes. His face made him look dumb, but there was a calm childish intelligence in his eyes. She sighed, "As I told him once…I'll do whatever I can to help and protect him from anyone else who have and may mean him any harm."

Not one for being blunt, that was Mike's area, but Sulley had a feeling that she would talk much more truthfully and calmly around him then Mike. He paused then blurted it out, "Do you love Randall?"Danielle had been ready to take a drink but when she heard the question. The question had caught her way off guard and Sulley felt a bit smug for some reason. He had become more open minded in the four mouths, so he was willing to accept the fact that a human could love a monster and vise visa.

"Well... I um... y'know..." she cleared her throat and blushed, visibly flustered. She then glanced at Randall who was still asleep on the couch. She then looked back at Sulley. Her face was still flushed. She nodded, "I do. I love him."Sulley blinked surprised yet for some reason not. He then smiled gently. "I won't tell him."

XXX

But Randall knew. He had heard the whole thing. He was more then touched when Danielle had given a monster twice her size and height a piece of her own mind. He had been ready to get up then, when he heard Sulley blurt out that one question. He had almost snarled and rolled his eyes, but before he could let them know he was listening he heard Danielle's answer. Randall didn't know what to expect, he did know that he felt excited and breathless.

He also knew Danielle would be embarrassed horribly if he got up then. So he continued to lie there, dozing back off.

Danielle filled a mug with coffee then set it on the table. Mike and Sulley both had went to get Fungus. Mike didn't want to leave her and Randall alone in the apartment but he hadn't wanted to stay with them ether. She then shook her head and walked over to Randall. She kneeled and shook his shoulder gently.

"Randall. Randall, wake up."

There was a sleepy murmur, and he pulled his head away from her and hid it underneath his arms She couldn't stop herself chuckling, amused at his response.

"Randall." she said again, running her hands down his side, "Come on, get up!"

He said nothing, obviously trying to go back to sleep. Danielle sighed and this time pulled on his arm, attempting to tug it away from his head.

Randall, who had been awake for the last couple of minutes, chuckled inwardly as he watched Danielle through silted eyes. She was groaning with exertion as she vainly tried to get him to 'wake up'. After watching for a few minutes, he eventually took pity on her, and moved his head on his own. He went wide-eyed as the sudden motion sent Danielle off balance and she landed hard on her backside.

"Ouch" She winced, rubbing her rump. A deep chuckling noise made her glance up, instantly spotting the grinning purple monster, who had gone from startled to amused.

"Randall!" She yelped.

"Morning, Danielle" he grinned at her cheerily.

"Don't you 'morning, Danielle' me!" She said.

"Sorry…ow!" His sentence was cut short as she suddenly flicked her fingers against his nose.

"That was _not_ funny" She scolded, her good hand on her hip.

His lips formed a reply almost instantly. "It was to me."

Danielle shook her head. "Come Randall get up."

He did so and looked around, noticing the apartment was quiet. "So...where are Sullivan and Wazowski?"

"They went to get Fungus. Then come back. Sulley said that they would then go to the CDA." Danielle looked away.

Randall went up to her and touched her face, "Danielle…"

She looked back. "I-I'm scared Randall. What if they…don't listen to your side? What if they throw you in prison? What am I going to do then?"

"I'm sure the two morons will get you back to your door…"Randall started to say.

"No! Not that! Home is really the least of my concern right now! What will I do without _you?_" Danielle said very clearly.

Randall stared at her for a few minutes. He didn't know what to say, but he did know what to do. He hugged her and then slowly it was him that kissed her. It was a soft sweet kiss that was for comfort for both of them. It was Danielle that pulled away and pressed her forehead against his wide head. "I…can't tell you what to do…. only wait for me."

Danielle nodded. "I'll wait. I'll wait here…out of sight and out of mind as long as I can."

Xxx

The four monsters really didn't know what to expect. When Mike and Fungus had walked in, they had seen Danielle and Randall in the embrace. Both monster's eyes had gotten wide and both began to stutter. When Sulley had walked in and seen it, right away he knew how to make it up. Not allowing them to arrest Randall. He wasn't one for blackmail, but if he had to…then he'd use it.

So with Danielle at the apartment hidden, all monsters made their way to the CDA Headquarters. Once inside and Randall was spotted they made to grab him.

Randall had snarled but braced himself. He was surprised when Sulley moved in front of him demanding to speak with Roz. Randall blinked at that. That name was familiar. Wasn't there a female slug monster that worked in the dispatch manager's office? Her name was Roz. His musing was answered when the female slithered up. Her bored eyes took in the group and then directed them to her office. Once there with narrowed eyes she had each one to tell her what happened. Mike with a grimace told her that Randall Boggs hadn't fallen back into an active door and said door accidentally got destroyed. No…that he had talked Sulley into throwing Randall into the door and into danger.

Randall had been glaring at Mike mostly, he had known that Mike had talk Sulley into throwing in out there. He had heard him reminding him of what he had done…like he had a much of choice.

The slug monster then turned her gray eyes over to Randall, telling that this was what he wanted to come back for, to tell his side. And he did, he told her how Waternoose approached HIM to design and build the Scream Extractor. He told her how it was supposed to work what it was supposed to do. He told her that he was ORDERED to make sure there was to be no witnesses. He then told that yes, they banished him to the human world. It was here he had to lie. He told her that he got away from his attackers and found a abandoned house and that's where he rested and was found by Waternoose and Jester. He told her what Waternoose had planed and what he was doing. They drugged him back and had him to fix it, but he had rewired it and that it was then to be turned on they found out that he had rewired it to over heat. It was then Sullivan and Wazowski showed up and after a fight the machine was knocked over and off the wall causing the fire and possibly trapping Waternoose inside.

It was then Fungus's turn. He slowly stuttered out how Jester beat him into helping him fix if since he was with Randall the first time and had helped then. He stuttered out that they got it running but when he was made to go back and help take human children from their rooms. He began to blubber out that they had killed four children, two boys and two girls. They got rid of the bodies in the incinerator of MI, bringing the bodies to ashes. By now Fungus broke and began to cry. They all blinked but for Roz who merely waited.

While Fungus had been talking, Randall had been thinking. Why the hell didn't Sullivan notice how bad Fungus had been getting all these months? Was he too wrapped up in being the stupid CEO to notice on of his employee's change of behavior? It was just like Danielle had said earlier that morning. Sullivan had been too stupid and blind to notice or question.

Fungus finished up with him telling that they sunk through and found Randall and drug him back.

Roz looked at them all, "Waternoose's body had been recovered. It was found under the ruble of the warehouse. The burnt shell of this machine has been found as well. Too bad all of this could have been avoided if Mr. Boggs hadn't have been banished.

Both Mike and Sulley winced.

"There is nothing to do now, but pull in the legal system. There will be a trial, to go over all of this. You four gentlemen well be asked to repeat what you have told me…. you are free to go for no," she stared at Boggs closely, "And it would be very wise Mr. Boggs to stick around for a few days."

XX

Danielle looked up from the magazine that she had been studying, when she heard voices. The articles didn't really interest her. It was the different types of monsters. She now understood why Randall told her that humans all looked basically the same to him. Humans were also photocopies compared to the colorful shapes, sizes and looks of monsters.

Mike opened the door and frowned when he saw her, but he didn't say a word. Sulley was behind him with Randall grudgingly following. "All I'm saying Sullivan…why didn't you notice? He's your employee."

Sulley was looking away, and his eyes met Danielle's.

"What's going on? Did you go to this CDA?" she asked to try to change the subject.

Randall huffed at Sulley and then he grinned at her as he came up and hugged her, "Unless they can find some heavy _substantial _evidence to prove that this was my plan from the start…" here he glared at Mike who had opened his mouth, "Shut it Wazowski!" he snarled. He then turned back to Danielle," I'm still going to have to go to trial, so I 'can't skip town', but for now, I'm free to go."

Danielle smiled and kissed Randall's cheek and brushed her fingers over his crest. Randall closed his eyes, enjoying the touches, even if they had audience. Danielle hugged him again and then looked over at Sulley. She stepped back and then looked from Randall, to Sulley and then to Mike, "So…even though Randall has to go to trial…is there a chance that he will go free?"

Sulley nodded, "If Roz didn't have him arrested then and there…then there is a high change that he will be free." he then looked over at Randall, "I-I admit that I should have said something and did something…"

Randall nodded, "He's not that close of a friend…not even a friend really, but I have worked with him for years."

Danielle looked confused, "Who?"

"Fungus," Mike said. "Randall's assistant. He got a very bad stutter."

"So…that wasn't normal for him?" Danielle asked looking at them.

They all shook their heads. She opened her mouth, and then thought better of it.

Randall touched her shoulder, "I think he'll be fine. He told me that now that this was over he would be going to get some help." Randall then looked back at Sulley then back to her. "Maybe you tonight we can sneak you back to your door…"

"We can't." Sulley said.

"Yeah…Roz said that they will be scraping the incinerator for any evidence. That means the CDA will be there. Too dangerous." Mike said as he flopped down in his round chair.

Danielle looked back at Randall, "So I wait. Like I said I would."

Randall nodded touching her hair. Be damned if the other two cared or not. He wasn't going to wait days before he could possibly touch her again. He glanced at Mike, "What are you staring at? Cause I'm really not in the mood today Wazowski…." Randall warned pointing at him.

Mike winced and took a step back, but still didn't stop his mouth, "Jeeze, get a room." Mike said crossing his arms, looking thoroughly disgusted.

Danielle then winked at Randall and smirked at Mike, "We can…just point us in the direction of one."

Sulley couldn't help a small smile at the shocked and disgusted look on Mike's face as Danielle laughed.

Randall snorted, "Really Wazowski, at least we don't go 'shoopsipoo' and 'googly bear', where in the hell do you come up with these stupid pet names!" Randall said rather sarcastically.

Danielle had raised an eyebrow at the names and began giggle and snigger. Mike glared at her then at Randall.

"You are just jealous Lizard Boy," Mike said puffing his 'chest' out.

Randall snorted and glanced at Danielle and smirked, "Uh huh, yeah sure, I'm jealous all right."

XXX

Randall, Fungus, Wazowski and Sullivan were sitting in a courthouse four days later. It had been a very tense four days and they were all glad that this was almost over with.. Randall's case was being held in court, and each one was a witnesses.

"Court will come to order," A gray six eyed monster with one leg announced "The Honorable Judge Radeclyf presiding. Please stand. "

The judge that came out was a tall hefty monster that had a resemblance to Sulley. His fur was longer and was green but had gray mixed in showing his age. His horns were four and was heavy and curled around like a ram's. "Are we ready to proceed?" He asked.

XXX

It was a long grueling day. The courtroom had been hot and tempers between Mike and Randall rose, but giving both credit, nothing was said, only glares shared. Everything was repeated and evidence had been found in the incinerator, mainly bone fragments were shown. The case then turned even more in Randall's favor when Sulley showed the evidence that they had been played against one another. He showed then program that had been wired into the Score Board. A program that gave Sulley a random 50, 75, even 100 points to Randall's points, thus driving the point that Randall had made about working hard home.

Hours later and two recesses, they were all back in the courtroom. The judge stared long and hard at Randall. He took in the dented skull and the long gash and he smaller gashes on his left cheek. He then turned to the jury.

"Has the jury reached a verdict?"

"We have, your honor." The head of jury nodded. "We the jury find the defendant,

Randall Boggs….

XXX

Danielle was pacing. The trail had lasted four days and today was when the jury would either find Randall guilty or innocent. She stopped and stared at a poster then begin to pace. Not only was she worried about Randall, she was worried about how she was going to get home, what she would tell everyone, why she had been missing for almost a week. She was worried about her pets. She was just about to rip her hair out in anger and frustration.

Smoothing her green sweater out, she was glad that the two had a washer and dryer. She had made use of it as few times, while they were at the courthouse. She had locked herself in the bathroom wrapped in a sheet, sitting on the washer while she had washed them. It had been then she had found a set of beads in her jeans pockets since Mardi Gras.

She pulled them out now. They were purple and she wrapped them around her fingers. Though it was her mother that was Catholic and had to try to raise her and Margot such, Danielle had never really took to the religion, but out of habit she counted the beads like it was a rosary. She then muttered a prayer.

She didn't know how long it was but her head whipped to the door. Mike again came in first and then Sulley. She watched for him. Then the familiar wide purple head of the lizard monster that she had grown to love appeared in the doorway. He closed it and his green eyes met her brown hazel.

She laughed in relief and crossed the room to him. He had look of relief and pride and smugness on his face.

He grinned at her. "Innocent. They found me innocent. All charges are dropped." he then hugged her, becoming less worried about the impersonal barriers he had developed and enveloped her in his arms. He was only slightly surprised but very please when Danielle ignored the other two monsters and pressed her lips to his in a deep kiss. Then taking a cue from her he ignored the dropped jawed looks of both Sullivan and Wazowski and kissed her back.


	42. Chapter 40

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**WoW! One more chapter after this one and it won't be long before I post it. It's all ready half written!**

**And So So so sorry this is so late. I will try to go fast in the future.**

**Chapter 40**

XXXX

Randall pushed his nose into Danielle's hair again. All his arms were wrapped around her as he held her close to his long body. It was late at night, he and Danielle was still at Sullivan and Wazowski's apartment. Tomorrow night was when they would sneak Danielle back to the factory. They haven't talked if Randall was going back with her or not. It was something they hadn't brought up. Not at all. Neither was sure how to approach that subject. Just like they still haven't brought up feelings for each other, though, it was very clear that they both loved each other, they have yet to admit it.

Though Randall knew. He had heard Danielle say that she loved him. It had sent thrills through him, but he wasn't sure how to bring this up.

He sighed and squeezed her closer. He was laying on his right side, his long back pressed against the back of the couch as Danielle's body pressed against his belly. He had an arm around her waist while his top hand played with a lock of her hair.

"You know what I find strange Randall…not that I'm not glad, but it now seems off somehow." Danielle mused as she lay in Randall's arms.

"What's that?" He asked, slightly tightening his tail around her ankle.

"The trial…how in the hell did it happen so fast? I mean in my world, even a small trial, would take months." She questioned.

"Roz…the head of the CDA active department wanted it to be fast. She didn't tell us why. But she did tell us that she wanted this done fast. See when a monster is trapped in the Human World, they are written off as 'dead'. Plus everything was kept 'hush hush'." Randall said as he continued to twill the lock aground his fingers.

"Hmmm. It still doesn't make much sense."

Randall chuckled, "Plus the fact Sullivan blackmailed her. I had told you that Waternoose had tried to blame everything on me, but the evidence in programs and papers that Sullivan and Wazowski had found and the children's bone fragments in the incinerator …it was all mainly for show. But yeah…it was rather fast."

"Stil,l I've never heard of a pre-trial hearing with a impartial jury." Danielle wrapped her hand around Randall's that was wrapped around her waist. She threaded her fingers though his, rubbing the velvet soft ridges in the large fingertips.

"I haven't either. I really hope that it was nothing." Randall fell silent, "Danielle?"

"Hmm?"

"What are you going to tell them when you get back? You have been gone for five days and then your wrist?"

Danielle turned in his arms and faced him. "I have two that I have been thinking of. One…I got very sick again. Two, a close friend was in trouble and I had to be there for him. I may have lost my job…but I can get another. I was only working it for the little extra money….school…I'll just have to cram. I hope I can graduate this May. If not, I may have to wait until winter graduation."

"And what about your wrist?" Randall touched the homemade cast.

"I fell from the loft in the barn." Danielle recited without a beat.

"And how did you do that?" Randall smirked a little.

"A very tall twelve eyed blue and black monster dislocated my wrist then pushed me." Danielle giggled.

"Think anyone with believe that?" Randall laughed as he brushed her hair back.

"Nope. I was fixing the hole in the roof of the barn and I slipped and tumble out of the loft. I have done it before. Only this time I did hurt my self." Danielle brushed her fingers against the underside of his jaw as she yawned.

Randall closed his eyes and as he tightened his tail still. He opened his eyes when he felt her kiss under his jaw and then lay her head down.

"I'll be glad to go home…" she yawned as she closed her own eyes.

Randall looked down at her. She had actually half scooted closer and her forehead was resting against his chest. "Yeah…home for you." he sighed and then rested his flat jaw on her head and he rewrapped his arms around her slowly failing to sleep.

XXX

It was around noon the next day; Danielle was sitting at the table. Mike and Sulley had gone back to the factory to work and make sure that the way was clear for them to sneak her back through. She was pursuing through the magazines while she waited for Randall, who had gone to try to track down some of his belongings. He wasn't too happy that he had lost his apartment no matter how run down it was, plus the fact that his stuff had been pawed through when Jester had broken into it. Of course he had expected to lose his apartment after four months, but it had still hurt.

Danielle turned the page and saw Randall smirking up at her. It was so shocking that she blinked. She flipped the cover back over noting it was a year and half old issue. She rolled her eyes. _Bachelors_, she thought. _They don't throw anything away. _She flipped back to the picture and saw that it was an ad for the factory. It had a blue M logo with an eye in the middle, and the tag line, 'We scare because we care.'

Danielle snorted but read on. It mostly boasted on how many employees the factory had and that it was the biggest factory in the Monster World, and that the Scream Energy was collected by Scarers and the current Top Scarer was Randall Boggs.

She studied his face. It held smugness and a touch of edginess. There was also the start of dark circles under his eyes and his bright green eyes held a touch of tiredness. A year and half ago. Danielle thought, that meant he was still working on the Scream Extractor and it had a year yet to go. She sighed and looked at the old picture again and continued to flip through the pages, not really looking at it.

_What am I going to do?_ She thought, _I want him to come back to with me, but I will never ask him to. This is was he was aiming for. This place here was what we were working him up to get back to. This is his home. He's cleared…though I still don't like the fact that the trial was so short. It was like it had already been decided that he would be set free. _Danielle closed the magazine and then stretched. _I will be glad to get home…imagine the lies and the mess I will have to take care of. Not too worried about Bread and Butter. He's done it before, and I'm sure that he's done it again._ She winced at the thought of cat food and dog food scattered across the kitchen floor.

She walked over to the window and stood to the side and just barely peeked out side and took in the neighborhood that Mike and Sulley lived in. It was a nice neighborhood, safe looking. She could see the start of the skyscrapers a few blocks away. It all looked clean, but too modern. She let the blind fall back with a chuckle. Yes, she liked the city… but she liked _her_ old Baton Rouge and New Orleans cities, the old buildings, and the old soggy smell. She missed her swamp. Never will she be secretly ashamed of where she came from. She will be more proud of her rich blooded Cajun roots. It was amazing that a trip to a different world can make you appreciate your own. Danielle sighed and slid down against the wall, bored and worried.

She jerked when she heard knocking. She jumped up. She must have dozed off. She went over to the door and peeked out the peephole. She saw Randall holding a box. She smiled and opened the door, staying hidden as she opened it. Randall walked in and she closed and locked the door back.

Randall had set the box on the table and began to dig through it. Danielle came up behind him and ran her fingers against his spine as she stepped up beside him.

Randall ached his back some, the simple touch easing the stress he was feeling. He looked over at her, "Well I found some things. There wasn't much left. The landlord sold most of my things to pay off the rent. Not that they got much the bastards."

Danielle winced, "Well did you find the most important things though?"

Randall nodded, "The police was holding a lot of my important documents. ID, birth certificate, some pictures and other things."

"Birth certificate? This I have got to see."

Randall rolled his eyes but handed her the paper.

Danielle smiled at his look and unfolded the paper and took in the birth certificate. It was then she found out some more about him. She saw that both his parents were from the same town, that their names were Leah Stansfield Boggs and Keith Ian Boggs. Her eyes then widened when she saw his full name and birthday. October 23, 1976. Danielle looked back up at him. "Randall…you was banished two weeks after your birthday?"

Randall had pulled out a picture of his parents, "Yeah…I know," he said slightly bitter.

Danielle shook her head, "And what is the J for?" she asked as she stared at the picture of his parents.

"Nothing. It's just there." Randall then passed her the picture, knowing she wanted to look at it.

Danielle looked down at the picture. He had described them to her, but the picture showed them in light. They were in her all her opinion…beautiful. His mother was scaleless but no less had a reptilian look with one set of arms and legs. She was very light lavender. Like he had said her fronds were much smaller, the foremost frond dangled forward. Her green eyes stared up out of the picture. Randall was almost a carbon copy of his father. His father was a deep navy blue with a lighter blue tail. Intelligent gold eyes glowed out from the dark blue face.

She looked up at Randall and saw that he was looking at her. She smiled, "They are very beautiful Randall, and I am sure they are proud." she reached out and touched his forehead.

Randall smiled gratefully at her. He reached out and brushed her hair back and tangling his fingers her hair as he leaned forward to kiss her lips lightly.

Danielle kissed him back and when he pulled back he opened his mouth, he was going to tell her he decided. He had to tell her. "Danielle…I…" he was cut off when the phone rang shattering the mood. "You have got to be kidding me!"

Danielle busted up giggling as the phone rang on and then the answering machine clicked on.

"Uh Randall…. Danielle?" It was Sulley.

Randall strode over, seriously on debating on taking his anger out on the monster on the other end. Instead he picked it up, "Yeah? What do you need Sullivan?" Randall hissed a touch of venom dripping from the words.

"Uh…. I'm letting you and Danielle know that it's clear for tonight." Sullivan said hastily.

"Fantastic." Was the reply Randall gave rather sarcastically still rather sore at being interrupted.

"Yeah, we'll bring her over at midnight."

"Terrific." The sarcasm had turned cold.

"Yeah, letting you know…"

"Thanks a bunch Sullivan." It was Randall that broke it off and hung the phone. He then turned to Danielle that was giggling. "What's so funny?"

She cleared her throat. "You. You still have the barely restrained dislike of him."

"Eh. It's something I can't drop in a day Toots." Randall smirked.

"Toots? Oh, so we're back at the nicknames are we?" Danielle crossed her arms.

Randall sniggered and in a fast move loosely wrapped his body around her, his arms and hands everywhere on her. One of his arms was around her waist; another was on her shoulder close to her neck half buried in her hair. "Yes…Sweetheart." He winked

Danielle blushed. When Jester had called her that, he had made it sound so dirty and mocking. When Randall said it, it was sweet and playful. She brought her hand up and scratched and rubbed under his chin. He closed his eyes in bliss. "So Randall…what are you going to do?"

Randall opened his eyes and looked at her, still half wrapped around her. "I'm not sure. I mean I'm back…that was what we was aiming for in the beginning right? A way for me to get back. By the way, you go home tonight."

Danielle nodded and stopped rubbing his chin. "It was something that we was aiming for…but that was before…this happened. I don't want to stop you, and lord knows that it will be hard, but…"

Randall suddenly kissed her desperately, "I don't know what to do! You can't say here. Monsters would find out about you eventually! You have to go back…you'll go back to your home and start school again, and be with your family and get a degree and…" He trailed off.

Danielle thought of the things that his silence could mean.

"Randall?"

"But I want..."

"What do you want Randall?" Danielle had a feeling as to where this conversation was leading, and she was finally glad it was happening, but she didn't think that it'd be this hard.

Randall looked away and then back at her before he dropped his eyes. "I want you."

"And why can't you?"

"Didn't you hear me? I said that you have to go back…"

"And I know what you said. Why can't we still be together and why can't I still finish college and follow my dreams?"

"But…"

"Randall…say it."

"I…love you." he blurted out.

Danielle nodded and smiled though she was blushing again, "And I love you Randall. And if…you don't have any impending plans…" Danielle slyly with a slight blush, "And since you are cleared…why not come back with me?"

Randall's eyes widened. "I don't want to take advantage of that …of you…"

"And yet I'm offering. I don't want to force you, but if you want…. come home with me. Do you want to come back with me?" Danielle said gently.

Randall's face slowly split into a smile, "I have grown rather fond of your Louisiana…. and of you. If you want me to go back, I will…I want to."

Danielle laughed, and turned some in his loose coil, and kissed him.

"Danielle…say it."

She giggled and blushed, "I love you Randall."

He beamed and brought his lips close to hers. "I love you too, Danielle." he then pulled her closer and kissed her. It was slow and gentle and it felt like he was pouring his heart out to her in a single kiss. Danielle breathed deeply and kissed him back, and this time when she ran her tongue against his bottom lip he didn't hesitate and met her own tongue as they kissed, finally as two beings that were in love.

XXXX

It wasn't midnight when they were able to sneak Danielle back to the factory. It was 2 in the morning. Either way, they got her to the car without curious eyes. Danielle then used this short drive to the factory to peek out the window at the sleeping city. Mike drove around to the back of the huge factory and up to a door. She was surprised to see Fungus waiting there. She got out with Randall following. As Mike and Sulley went up to the door, she smiled down at Fungus. He seemed to look better, still shaky, but better. "Hello Fungus, how have you been?"

He blinked still rather unsure of her, but he smiled faintly, "I-I-I- am getting much bet-t-t-er. Glad to be g-g-going home?"

"Yes! Not that I haven't had a wonderful time…. it will be glad to go back to a place where everyone don't think I have cooties." she giggled.

Randall busted up laughing then and even Fungus had to smile. Danielle then slowly put her hand out to shake.

Fungus stopped laughing and looked at her unsure still, but to everyone's surprise with Mike and Sulley watching, Fungus slowly extended his long arm and gently and lightly grasped her hand and shook it quickly. "You k-k-know this changes e-e-everything…the fact that H-h-h-humans are not toxic and- and-"

"And we still have to be quiet about it," Sulley said, "Monsters still believe that Humans are toxic and that's the best thing for them to believed for now."

Mike nodded, "Yeah…imagine the chaos and confusion if this was found out."

Randall sniggered, "Yeah, like the chaos and confusion I saw on the TV and at the factory when Sullivan let the two-year-old out?" he laughed as he walked past Mike.

Danielle laughed as well following Randall.

"Yeah laugh it up Lizard Lips! That whole mess was still started partly by you!" Mike cried still not willing to let it go.

Danielle then patted Mike on the head, "Tuat t'en grosse bueche, Mike. You all can stand and point fingers until you realize that it will be going in a circle. It was all five of yours fault. Waternoose, Randall, Fungus, Sulley and yours." She then left a stumped Mike and followed Sulley and Randall with Fungus following her.

"Hey! Wait up!" he shouted and hurried after them after he shut the door. "Ok…so maybe you are right…"

"What's that I hear? Is it _Wazowski _admitting he's wrong?" Randall snarked from the front.

"For your information, Lizard Boy, I am not…wait…"

Danielle snickered and caught up with Randall and Sulley. She reached out and took Randall's hand. He smiled at her and reached out and brushed her hair back.

Mike was making gagging noises behind them. Randall with an annoyed look in his eyes swung his tail. There was a loud smack and then an oww. Everyone looked back and saw that Randall's tail had caught Mike across the face.

"You did that on propose!" Mike accused.

"I did not! You were standing too close." Randall snapped back.

"Oh lord…you two bicker like children!" Danielle commented

"We do not!" they both snapped.

Sulley suddenly began to chuckle as well as Danielle.

"Alors pas," she smiled, "of course not," she snickered. She nudged Randall playfully, "Stop maken' a bahbin Randall."

He knew that phrase, "I am not pouting…"

She just shook her head and they walked on and came to the door that they had been brought out of. Sulley unlocked the door. Randall had told him where the closet door was hidden and Sulley had gone back and made sure that the door was locked. He unlocked it now and the little troop went into the little room. There was old wooden crates, dust and cobwebs and there near the was as the familiar door of her childhood closet. Sulley then pressed a few buttons and a red light came on at the top of the metal frame.

"And it is active. All you have to do is open the door and step through." Sulley told her.

Danielle smiled and nodded. She then turned to Fungus. He was the only one at the moment that knew of Randall's plan to go back with Danielle. "Thanks a bunch Fungus, you take care and work on that stutter."

He nodded, "I-I-I will. Maybe h-h-humans aren't that bad."

"Some of aren't." She winked and then walked past Mike know full well that he wouldn't be able to stand being ignored. She walked up to Sulley and looked up at the huge monster. "I want to thank you. I want to thank you for helping Randal and me out. Thank you for helping Randall get acquitted, and just thank you."

Sulley looked down at the short human and nodded, "You are welcome and you are right with all that you said. This was all of our fault, but the best thing to do is move on."

Danielle smiled and patted his thick arm, "You keep on thinking like that and learn to listen to others more, you'd be a good CEO."

Randall snorted in slight jealousy and soreness, not really ready to accept the fact that Sulley was CEO of Monsters, Inc.

Mike then came up, hated to be ignored, "And hey…what about me? What am I? Chopped liver?"

"I can think of many thing that you are." Randall mumbled.

Danielle laughed, "And you too Mike. Just work on those sour jokes of yours. They are not that funny." She then looked over at Randall. "Let's go home."

"'What?" Mike asked. "What's with the 'Let's'? And what do you mean sour jokes and not that funny?"

"Me and Danielle. I'm going back with her. Why do you think I brought the bag for Wazowski?" Randall rolled his eyes.

Sulley blinked, "Randall…you can't go."

Randall turned his head toward Sulley, "And why the hell not Sullivan?" he growled.

"Because…you don't have to. You are free. You are not banished any more and the Human world is not your home." Sulley started.

"Ok, first off…I want to go, and second, not my home? That sure in hell didn't stop you from banishing me to begin with and I don't have any home here anymore. I have nothing here! I can have something there!" Randall half snarled and half pleaded in a desperate sort of why to have them see it his way.

"Sulley, he was doing so good there. He does have a chance, a better chance with me. Besides I want him to come back with me…it's because I love him." Danielle spoke up. She said all this softly but clearly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mike drop his jaw.

"Close your mouth Wazowski, you'll catch flies," Randall told him smugly.

Sulley studied her and then Randall. Randall had crossed his arms, glaring at him, daring him to try and stop him. He then smiled faintly. "Then go on. If anyone asks, I'll tell them that you left the city to find work else where."

"Thanks Sulley." Danielle then opened the closet door, taking in a sigh of relief when she saw the familiar pink walls. She glanced at Randall.

Randall had walked up to Sulley regarding him. He then to everyone's surprise, stuck one of his hands out. "Still not friends Sullivan, but I do want to call that truce now."

Sulley then smiled and they shook hands briefly. "Good luck Randall."

"Yeah. You too." Randall then glance back at Fungus. "You take care." Then before he bounded in through the door, he sniggered at Mike. You are still caching those flies, Wazowski." he then passed through the door and closed it.

Sulley laughed at Mike and turned the door off.

"Bu-bu- what just exactly happened here? And what does she mean about sour jokes and not that funny?" Mike stammered out.

Sulley was looking at the door thoughtfully.

Mike went up to him. "What are you thinking Big Guy? You going to destroy the door?"

Slowly Sulley shook his head, "I'm thinking no. I'm thinking of keeping it in here, locked up. Who knows, it might come in handy."

"Hmm." Mike then followed Sulley out the door and locked it and handed the key to Sulley. He then trotted after Sulley. "Hey Sul? What did she mean about sour jokes and not that funny?"


	43. Chapter 41

**Ok kiddies! I WAS going to edit this one…but….really…it's NOT that bad. True it's earning the M rating and I will say, IF it makes you uncomfortable then breeze through it and read the end. Please no whining. You have been warned. And this time I'm not 'fading to black' like their Mardi Gras night. I'm gonna describe it be cause it really is important with their feelings. So WARNED! You have been warned.**

**I know I didn't put a year, but this takes place in 2001. I put it in the same year that the movie came out. The few dates I mention put it between the November and February 2001 and 2002 calendar. **

**Disclaimer. I don't own Monsters, Inc or any of the characters in the movie. Though I'd like too. For I'd write a better ending for poor Randall. **

**And in this one he did get a better ending! Oh and LONG chapter alert!**

**Chapter 41**

**XXXX**

Both Danielle and Randall groaned at the sight of the mess. It really wasn't too bad, but still, it was a mess that neither really wanted to deal with.

There was a sharp yip and a tan and white blur banged into Danielle's legs. Bread was wigging like she hadn't seen Danielle in years. Danielle smiled and bent down and picked up the old dog. She held her head away as Bread tried to lick her face. "Yeah, yeah I missed you too," she scratched the dog's head as she whined and cried.

Randall reached out and patted the dog's head and Bread licked his hand. "Gee…thanks." He then looked at the cracked shotgun in his hands from where he had picked it up in the room, were Waternoose had grabbed it from Danielle and all but shattered it. "So, what do you want me to do with this?"

Danielle winced but put the dog down and took it. There were cracks in the wood and the barrel was bent some. "Well it's not of any use for me. I'll have to take it into the city had have the police department dispose of it."

Randall was eyeing her, "And did you really know how to use that or was it a bluff?"

Danielle laughed as she unloaded it, and carried it back to her room, Randall and the dog following. She opened her closet door and up it on the top shelf. "I know how to use it. Almost everyone knows how to use one out here. I've killed wild boar that has come into the yard."

"You? I thought that you was training to be that vet. Isn't killing animals the opposite of what you are trying to achieve?"

Danielle fell into a fit of giggles, "Yes, but I do have the right to protect myself and my pets. They are very destructive and extremely dangerously aggressive animals that eat everything in sight. Even dogs, cats and farm animals. They love chickens. That is one of the main reasons Mom and Dad got me a gun and taught how to shoot it. Even Dad who was born in the city."

"Very wild place." Randall commented still eyeing her.

She nodded, "It is, but wait until summer, it'll be hot and humid and the mosquitoes will be killers…but it'll be beautiful."

They then stood in an awkward silence, not sure how to proceed. They may have admitted their love for each other and had even gotten comfortable kissing each other, but things was still a bit awkward, something that both knew will slowly be broken with time. "Yeah…so we better clean the mess in the kitchen and I'll go to the hospital to have them check out this wrist and then to the store."

Randall snickered, "And what about all those calls on the answering machine?"

Danielle winced and put a finger to her lips, "Shh, maybe if they don't hear us, they'll go away on their own."

Randall snorted and crossed all four of his arms, "And you honestly believe that?"

"No. One can wish though." Danielle walked up to him and bumped him, "Stop being a killjoy." She then walked out of the room.

"Me…a killjoy? Why I'm the fun guy around here. It's you that is the wet blanket." Randall persisted as he followed her.

Danielle stopped in the hallway and scooped up Butter who had appeared with a loud cry. She cuddled the large fluffy yellow cat to her, the feline purring madly. "I was wondering where you were." The cat rubbed his face against her chin. "I'm hardly a wet blanket Randall. Didn't Mardi Gras prove what a 'wet blanket'I'm not, Beb?"

Randall shut his mouth fast.

"I thought so," Danielle said a bit smugly. She put the cat down and walked over the answering machine in the living room corner. She sighed tiredly and nervously pressed the button to hear them.

"First unheard message: 'D, it's Liss. I wanted to know if you wanted me to help you out with cramming for final exams? I know we wait until the last week to study, but I figure if we start now, we can get you out of school this May. Speaking of which, how come you're not answering the-'

Danielle winced as the machine cut off Liss's message.

"Second message: D, honey? Why aren't you answering the phone? Listen, I want you to call me back pronto. We got cut off. What else happened? Where are you-'

The machine cut her off again.

She groaned, listening to the messages. One even telling her that Liss and Michael had drove out there and was wondering where she was since her truck was still there. Then there were a few from her school then from Ray her boss, who was not happy with her. Finally guessing who the final message was from she turned the answering machine down as far as possible.

"Thirtieth message: 'WHY YOU NOT ANSWERING THE PHONE, ?' Danielle's mother roared into the room. I IS WORRIED SICK, WHERE YOU AT? JE VAIS THE PASSER UNE CALLOTTE IF YOU NOT ANSWER THE PHONE RIGHT NOW-"

"People leave too long messages," she grumbled, erasing the messages before dialing her boss's number, "Either that, or my phone's too old to take much abuse."

Randall sniggered, as he was sweeping up the dog and cat food that was scattered across the floor. When the animals had run out of food, Butter the smart cat he was had pawed the cabinet where Danielle had kept the pet food at open and both he and Bread had helped themselves to the bags of food. "Well it hasn't died yet."

"Yeah…_yet." _Danielle rolled her eyes and waited for her boss to answer. When he did he scolded for a bit and Danielle took it, wincing a few times. She then was allowed to tell her side and then got chastised again. Danielle then gave a half smile, "Thank you so much Ray. Thank you…yes, I'll watch it. Thank you giving me a chance." she then hung up and sighed.

"So. What did he say?" Randall asked from the kitchen as he tried to shoo Butter away from attacking the broom.

Danielle turned and giggled and went over and picked the cat up and held the purring fur ball. "Well, I was very close to being fired. Since I have had a good work record since I've been working there and it was my first mess up, I was just put on a week suspension, no pay."

Randall nodded, "That was very lucky." He finished sweeping the huge mess up into a pile.

Danielle put the cat down and went and got the dustpan and held it as Randall swept the food up into the pan and she threw it away. They did this a few times and Danielle then sighed. "I think I put it off long enough. I really do need to get to the doctor. I can't wear a newspaper cast all the time."

Randall shook his head, "No, especially not one that is from Monstropolis."

"Yep." Danielle began to unwrap the strips of the towel and then the newspaper. She handed the newspaper to Randall.

He glanced at it as he went to throw it away. "Hey…this was yesterday's…I didn't get to read it."

"Really?" Danielle was straightening the ace bandage; "Mike said that you read it when he handed it to me."

"And you believed him?"

"So that's why he had the funny smirk on his face when I asked if you had read it first. I'm sorry Randall I should have known." Danielle still had to hold back a smile. It was so amusing now. Mike really did rub the salt in but Randall rose to his bait. Why was it Randall and Sulley the ex-rivals. It seemed to her it was more Mike and Randall that fought and argued like competing siblings.

"I'm not liking that smirk of yours…he did it on purpose." Randall grumbled. It was childish and he wasn't really that worried about it. It was the fact that Mike intentionally did it to try a prove something.

"Randall…it was a paper…"Danielle sniggered.

"I know but it's the fact that he did it to spite me." Randall had turned away. When he turned back a mop and bucket was thrust into his hands. "Well Beb…you can complain to Mrs. Mop and Mr. Bucket."

"What!"

She only smiled, "I'm not going to listen to your childish complaining about Mike. He's in Monstropolis and you are here. Besides I need to get to the hospital and have them take care of my wrist then I have to go shopping. You can do a bit of cleaning to work up an appetite for later."

"I love how you take charge Toots. And an appetite huh?" Randall smirked as he followed her as she picked up her wallet and keys.

"Uh huh…"

"An appetite for what?"

"Dinner of course…" Danielle turned and glanced at him knowing him by now to try to make her blush.

"Mere food? Maybe I want more then mere food…" Randall had made to move up closer to her. He was both meaning it and playing around. He was surprised when Danielle spun on him and kissed him fully on the lips. She then danced away and toward the door.

"You are all talk and no walk Randall." she then winked and was out the door with Randall staring after her.

He looked down at the dog and cat sitting and standing by his feet. "Well…this wasn't how I was planning on spending our first day back," He chuckled. He then shook his head at the blank looks in the animal's eyes. Randall then turned and began to prep in mopping the floor. He actually didn't mind, the kitchen really the only dirty room in the house and he had to help repay her back some how. It wasn't like he could go shopping for her and she did need to go to the hospital. He realized this was a small price to pay for choosing to leave the Monster World, to be with Danielle. But, it was a price that he was willing to pay and he knew that if he and she was careful, he didn't have to hide out in the house and swamp forever. Maybe…he could later on really test the openness that Danielle had claimed that most humans in Louisiana had. Maybe he could step out and carefully reveal himself to a few. Randall had found that even though there was the starting awkwardness after they got back, he found the he was actually and strangely more comfortable here then he was back there.

As Randall cleaned, lost in his musings he leaned on the mop. It was strange that all that time and planning on going home, that when he got there, the one thing he wanted was to go back to the Human World. He had never imagined that his 'home' would end up where he felt that he didn't belong.

XXXX

It was almost dark when Danielle finally began her drive home. Her doctor hadn't been happy with her at all. She didn't know what took longer, the x-rays on her lungs and her wrist or the lecture he had given her like she was some child. She had sat there freezing in the thin paper gown and he had lectured like she was some naughty 6 year old. When he was done and had scribbled off her prescriptions for the pain relievers and new inhalers, and had left she had growled and ripped the paper gown off and got dressed. She went and filled her prescriptions and went food and pet food shopping. As she did she couldn't help but think on the fact that Randall had chosen to come back with her. She was thrilled by all means. She could only hope that he wouldn't regret it. She would try her best to make sure he didn't fell trapped. She had been lying on Mardi Gras when she had told him that a lot of people wouldn't think twice about what he was especially the older Cajuns. But they'll get to it when the time comes. What made her worried not was what was they supposed to do? They had admitted their love, and were now together as a couple, but did that mean they had to just straight into bed? Did he expect that? Danielle wasn't too sure she was quite ready. She decided to give it a few days, let things settle down. She still had yet to call her mother and Liss. As she paid for the groceries she also decided that it'd be best for him to sleep in the spare bed for a few nights. She could only hope that he would understand.

On the way home she had stopped by the restaurant that she worked. They were glad to see her and they had fussed over her newly encased wrist. She had finally fought them off and ordered her and Randall's dinner and went to talk to her boss. She thanked him again for simply not firing her. Shortly her order was ready and she had paid for it and headed home.

It was about an hour later when she pulled into her drive. There were a few lights on, but the house was mainly dark. She then honked the horn twice then a single long one, singling to Randall that it was her. It was a signal that they had worked out all most three months ago. The door opened and Randall poked his head out. She smiled as she turned the truck off. He came up to the driver's door. "Need help?" he asked.

"Yes please." Together they unloaded the truck and got the stuff inside. She smiled and thanked him whole-heartedly when she saw the clean shiny floor. It was then she noticed that living room floor was clean was well. She smiled and kissed him thanks, easing some of her worries.

"Yeah…I noticed that the pet food was scattered in there too." Randall told her as the food was heating up. He walked up and took her arm that was encased in a gray and tan brace that went partly up her arm. He looked down at it and ran his fingers over the brace and up her arm.

Danielle shivered a bit when his velvet soft fingers brushed against the sensitive skin of her inner forearm. She looked up and saw a look of mischievous. He then let go of her wrist and then disappeared down the hallway Danielle looking curiously after him. He was gone for a few minutes and he came back.

"Close your eyes." He smiled the mischievous look now spreading from his eyes to his face. "Go on," he coaxed when she looked at him funny.

Danielle did and she felt him take her wrist and then heard the sound of a marker against the brace.

"Ok."

Danielle opened her eyes and then looked down at her wrist. She felt a smile and then a giggle escaped her mouth. She looked back up at Randall. He was smirking and capping a permanent marker.

"What? I had to add my own name on the cast. It's like tradition," he said the very same words she had told him when she had signed her name onto the pink cast he had worn.

Danielle laughed looked back down at his name. It had backwards slant to it, the 'R' was really big and fancy with a small 'flag', but all the rest of the letters really small and neat the last 'l' having a 'tail'. It was a beautiful flowing script. She ran a finger over the dried ink and then leaned forward and kissed Randall. "Thanks."

Xx

Danielle was munching on a meatless pie as she stared at the phone, debating on whom to call first. Liss or her mother.

"The phone isn't going to dial it's self Danielle." Randall said for the kitchen, "And I can't do it for you."

"I know, I know." Danielle grumbled, "I got a good story though."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, kill two birds with one stone as they say. After Mardi Gras I decided to go to…Indiana with you and while there I got sick."

"That would work…but one thing…wouldn't you mother ask about me?" Randall appeared in the doorway. "Liss is one thing…you mother…"

"Sacred of the mother Randall? Besides she'll probably be glad that my love life is picking up, my father…he'll be happy that I'm happy."

"What? No. What I mean is won't she want to met me?" Randall told her softly.

"She would yes, but for now we'll tell her what we told Liss. You come and go…don't know when you will be around." Danielle went to pick the phone up and dialed her mother's number.

The phone gave a single ring before her mother answered. "What took you so long, Danielle? I was ready to send you sister out there." she demanded, her high voice cracking with anger and worry.

"I'm sorry, Maman," she apologized. "I got invited to go to a friend's at the last second, and I got sick and I couldn't call."

"Don't lie to me," her mother said, sounding coldly skeptical. "I spoke to Lissette Miller. She no know where you at."

"That's because I haven't even talked to her yet," Danielle said patiently, "I was with my…boyfriend."

A shocked silence was all that met her words, but a glance at Randall showed her he was actually nodding his head encouragingly.

"What… dat you… say?" her mother asked in a low hushed voice, like Danielle had really told her that she had been diagnosed with cancer.

"Well after Mardi Gras I took a little trip," Danielle said sheepishly before telling her mother a much-edited version of what had happened. "I'm seeing him, and… well, that's pretty much it," she concluded, taking a drink of the coffee Randall passed her as her mother stayed silent.

"Danielle..." her mother said quietly. "I not think t'as thought yous way through tis."

"Sure I did," she defended herself, "You are always saying I need to find a man…well I found one. Now Mom, I have got to get going and call Liss."

"Wait! Gar-ici! What is name?" Her mother shrieked.

"I didn't tell you? It's Randall Boggs, I'll talk to you later." her mother began to sputter in shock as Danielle shut off the phone, breathing heavily like she had just run a marathon.

"One down, one to go," she giggled as Randall who had had smile on his face was shaking his head.

The next half hour was spent talking to Liss on the phone. Once Danielle assured her that she was fine now, she hung up. Yawning, she looked at the clock. It was almost 9. "Oh God. You know that time difference is a killer."

Randall looked up from his coffee and nodded. "It can be. What you going to do?"

"Take a shower and go to bed. Uh Randall…" this was one of the things she had to address.

"Yeah…would you feel more comfortable if we slept separate for a bit?" Randall asked with surprisingly understanding.

"Uh…yeah. For a few nights. Just until things settle down." Danielle blushed some and looked away. She then felt soft fingers on her face and she turned to look at Randall. He softly kissed her and she kissed him back. His tongue then gently pushed into her mouth and she allowed it. Danielle moaned softly and then stepped back. Swallowing hard she smiled at him, "Yeah it'd be best for a few nights." she then stepped back up to him and kissed him briefly on the lips. "Good night, Randall."

"Good night Danielle."

XX

After her shower and changed into nightclothes Danielle was laying in bed, both the animals curled up at the foot. She opened her eyes staring out into the dark. The full size bed felt huge after sleeping on the couch with Randall behind her. She did really miss that, but it was very wise to sleep alone for the next few nights. They will have penalty of time later. She yawned and then pulled an extra pillow to her and hugged it falling asleep after the very long day.

XX

Randall was curled up in a ball. He too was still awake. He was staring out the window into the dark yard. He sighed. He understood why Danielle wanted to sleep alone for a few nights and he had to admit it was a very good idea. She was nervous in taking that next step, and truth be told, so was he. For all of his talk he was nervous in actually sleeping with her and it was both because she was human and because it was no longer a one-night stand. He remembered bits and pieces, but that was all. He was just mainly worried that he would freak her out in some way. He stretched out and then curled back up. He did however missed sleeping next to her. Her body was soft and warm and he had loved being close so he could touch her hair and run the ends across his lips and face. Randall let out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep.

XXX

The next few days were spent settling back down and after her school and sometimes volunteer work both Danielle and Randall got used each other as now more then friends. They fussed and played with each other, showing that they would remain as friends and not just as lovers. They would walk around outside the weather slowly turning nice. They would hold hand and kiss and caresses each other. At night they would watch TV and drink coffee. Together they would stretch out on the floor and Danielle would lean against Randall's long warm body. He would twist around and play with her hair, still having the endless fascination with it. This night they both ended up laying beside each other, a small kiss that was turning into more.

Not hesitating one second, Danielle kissed him. She was on her side, Randall stretched out beside her. He had one hand tangled into her hair and another was cupping and caressing her face another arm was around her waist and his tail was wrapped around her ankle.

Sighing, Danielle deepened the kiss as Randall's hand wondered up and down her body, slipping underneath her green pinstriped blouse to shyly touch her skin. Randall was the one that deepen the kiss a bit more slowly pushing his tongue her mouth and stroke against her own. Then it was Randall that pulled away to her surprise sliding his hands out of her clothes.

Danielle took a deep breath; the time has come for her decision. She was still nervous, but the nervousness will stay there until they finally made love and not leave it at the one night of sex. She was sure she would have to do some coaxing for Randall to loosen up. It was a big decision to make, but in the end it was an easy one.

She stood up and began to put the cushions up Randall following her example. When they was down and lights was shut off, she went over and just in case, she turned the phone off from the main connecter, Randall then followed her, walking her to her bedroom door as he had been doing for a kiss and then go to his own room. Danielle got to her room and turned and leaned against the frame. "Randall, I was thinking… about tonight." She caught his eyes. He looked confused. "What about tonight?"After a moment she smiled still looking his bright green eyes, "Will you stay here with me tonight? Will you sleep with me? Will you spend the night in my bed…as my lover?"His eyes widened in surprise a little, and then he glanced quickly down, and then looked back up and took a step toward her.

Randall hesitantly touched her cheek, as Danielle closed her eyes at the feeling of his soft fingers. "Are you sure?" He asked her. "I can wait…. we don't have to do this right now…"

Danielle opened her eyes. "I'm sure Randall. If I wasn't I wouldn't have suggested it." she then met his suddenly shy green eyes. "Let me ask you…do you want to do this?"

Randall closed his eyes, swallowed hard and groaned deep. He fidgeted for a few seconds and then stepped up closer to her. He began to rub his head against hers, an occasional pass of a hot wet tongue pressed against her neck, causing Danielle to shudder slightly. He paused and then wrapped his top arms around her and pulled her close. "Yes." his voice was deeper and husky.

"Then…come on." Danielle took his top hands and stepped away and backed into her room, pulling Randall with her. There was only a shy resistance then he stepped forward and followed her into the room.

He pushed the door closed with his tail and allowed her to gently pull him over close to the bed. He swallowed nervously and then huffed inside his head. What was wrong with him? He wasn't a virgin and neither was she. He was certainly wasn't the sort to get all shy and flustered.

Danielle ran her fingers over his crest. "Randall…relax. It's not like we haven't done this before."

Randall nodded, "True, but…"

She chuckled, "But we was drunk? I know. We've done this before, but this time is will be different."

"And how do you know this?" He asked boldly, closing his eyes at her now rubbing the crest, running her fingers in between the sensitive fronds.

"Because…we aren't drunk now."

Randall's green eyes snapped open. She was right. They weren't. He didn't know if that made him feel better or worse. He decided that it made him feel both. And he also felt that he needed a bit more coaxing. "What if we…what if it's bad?"

Danielle smiled again, "Randall, Beb, let me put it this way… if I remember right…if doing it drunk felt good, then I'm sure that _not_ being drunk and remembering everything, will be wonderful." she had paused in rubbing his crest and between the fronds, she resumed now.

Randall made a deep noise and raised his head more into her touches. Danielle's eyes softened at seeing him relax. "Well…if you insist," he whispered sounding more sure of himself. Something came over Randall and he had to do it. He then stretched his long neck forward and gently pressed his lips against Danielle's. Just when Randall was about to pull away, Danielle pressed closer. Strangely enthralled, Randall slipped his tongue out and softly caressed her lips.

Danielle responded slowly, barely parting her lips. She parted her lips and the tongue slid into her mouth. She shuddered, deepening the kiss a little. She felt something stirring deep within her as they kissed. This was so interesting on her part. His tongue was wickedly long and very strong as it wrapped around her short flat one. As he moved his tongue into her mouth, she couldn't help the small moan into his mouth as she felt his large hand come up behind her and rub her shoulder blades while another hand clasped down on her right hip and the other rubbing firmly against her spine, the thumbs both caressing and pressing.

Randall had been running his hand over her back and when he rubbed his thumb against her spine he was surprised at the reaction when she moaned and leaned closer, arching. It was just a simple touch, but it seemed to be one she really enjoyed, but either way, it made him to responded instantly, the kiss becoming harder and more passionate.

Suddenly Danielle pushed him away gasping for air. He looked at her in concern and a bit disappointed. "Are you alright?" He asked gently as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine." She then quirked her lips, "Lay down on the bed."

Randall looked at her tentatively.

"Go on. I'm sure that we can do it standing, but I think that with your long body and my short one, it'll be more comfortable on the bed." Danielle giggled, as she blushed a bit.

Randall did as well and he slid up on the bed. Danielle pulled her shoes off, her socks soon following. She then stretched out beside him. She caught his eyes and then began to slowly trace his scales on his chest. He was getting relaxed enough, but she wanted him more so. When they had sex that Mardi Gras night, it had been fast paced, though they had done it twice that night, she didn't really get the chance to touch him…to really see him. Keeping eye contact, she played her fingers along his chest. The tops of his scales were smooth then it dipped down to the gap to his skin. It gave him a mix of smooth and roughness. A mix that she loved to touch. She had always loved to touch him.

Randall sighed under the touches as he laid there for a bit as she traced the scales on his chest. Her fingers then began to press harder and move up his neck and then…. his eyes rolled back in his head as she rubbed up his wide jaw. A low groan came from his throat. He head Danielle chuckling at him, "Feel good Randall?" She asked a smile in her voice.

"Oh yeah…" he breathed. The feelings were incredible. She seemed to know where to scratch and caresses. It was the massages all over again and if she was trying to relax him, then it was working.

She chuckled again and scratched and stroked under his chin with her fingers. There was only slight discomfort in her fingers, but it was something she could tolerate. She stopped and slowly ran her hand down his neck; loving the feel of his smooth soft, yet firm warm scales. This time she didn't stop at his chest but ran her hand down his long torso and then sitting up some she ran her hand down some more and her other hand joining it and she began to rub his belly. Suddenly he laughed.

"What's so funny?" she asked as she rubbed his belly.

"Just that I'm getting that 'tummy rub'." Randall looked down at her.

Danielle giggled, "I told you that I'd be happy to oblige." She winked at him. She was

glad that he was relaxing. Normally she'd feel a bit disappointed that he wasn't touching her, but right now she didn't mind. He had been so unsure and tense when she had asked him to spend the night in her room. He was relaxing under her touches and she took that moment to lower her hands and began to circle her left index finger around a very sensitive two inch long slit.

Randall jumped but he didn't move away. His chuckles died and he looked back down at her. She was looking back at him as she continued to do so. He squirmed a little and then noticed something. He licked his lips, "Your…shirt…"

A small smile cam on Danielle's lips. "What about it?"

"I think it needs to come off." he was looking at her pointedly.

Danielle smiled, though under her own bravado, she was nervous herself. "I think you are right." She raised her hands to undo the buttons when Randall sat up suddenly and gently batted her hands away.

"I want to do it." He met her eyes and waited until she nodded before he brought his two top hands up between them and undid the buttons on her blouse. When the last one was undone, he lifted his hands up and spread her shirt open. She was wearing a simple white cotton bra. Randall's tail almost curled into a knot at how nervous and excited he was as he pushed the green pinstriped shirt from her shoulders. His hands brushed across her collarbone and shoulders. He had seen her before, but it was such a blur that he couldn't remember much. He palmed her breasts, beginning to relax more and enjoying this. He felt the weight in his hands, as his fingers on the second set, counted the freckles across the tops.

Danielle smiled to reassure him as she moved to embrace him again, but instead of meeting his lips, Randall moved his head to the side and dipped under her head and began to kiss along her jawline and behind her ear. She shuddered, taking a deep breath as goosebumps formed on her skin. She let out a soft moan, as he pressed his lips to her skin and even pressed his hot wet tongue in passing. She was for the first time ever enjoying such soft touches and kisses. It was beginning to light a fire under her skin.

Taking a deep breath, Danielle reached back and undid the clasp on her bra. She pulled it off and tossed it on the floor. Randall's hands fell away and he pulled his head back to stare openly at her. Her nipples were small and pink, and hard. Danielle pulled the hair band out of her longer hair that she had finally realized had been growing out just for him.

The rich auburn colored hair spilled down over her shoulders and onto her chest, obscuring his view. Randall brushed it away one hand tangling into her hair, becoming even more relaxed as he ran the soft strands through his fingers. Randall then began to drag a ridged velvet soft fingertip over her left nipple. She gasped and bit her bottom lip. He did the same with the right one, and she smiled at him encouragingly. Licking his lips again he began to gently rub his hands across them, occasionally cupping her entire breasts in his big hands. Danielle started squirming and when he tried pinching her nipples she whimpered and leaned forward to kiss him. He continued fondling her breasts and stuck his tongue in her mouth. She couldn't believe how fast he was picking things up once he began to relax. Of course… he wasn't a virgin. He's done this before. He was just nervous because of the past belief, Danielle realized. He just needed the reassurance; those old wives' tales and myths were slowly becoming the things of the past. He ran his soft hands over her breasts as Danielle closed her eyes, feeling that rising tide of hesitation. Instinctively, she started to push the emotions down, to give her some degree of control. Randall's tongue moved deeper into her mouth. Her eyes shot open but then she couldn't help the moan from her throat. Her eyes then saw Randall, his beautiful smoky purple face, the large eyes and even the scattering of teal and blue 'freckles. Why was she fighting this? This felt good and…she loved him. She closed her eyes again and relaxed and gasped as she felt like she was falling.

As Randall kissed Danielle, he scooted closer. He was finding the more he kissed and touched her, the less panicky and anxious he felt. His palms on his second set of hands lowered and began to trace over her hips and belly. He shuddered in pleasure as her own hands returned to his own body and began to press and rub against his scales. He waited a few minutes leaning into her rubs and touches, before cupping her breasts and lifting them so he could nip and suck one of those pink nipples into his mouth. Her breasts were soft against his face and she smelled faintly of soap. Randall listened to her small gasps and whimpers and felt her shifting as he moved from one breast to the other until Danielle started arching up against him as her hands continued to touch him. His tail came up around her left ankle and squeezed gently. He never thought he would care…love another ever again. And here he was. Touching and caressing another…a human nonetheless. But that no longer mattered. He hasn't even thought of her as a 'lowly human' in months. He now thought of her as the one he loved, his savior, his friend, his…lover.

Suddenly she hissed and Randall pulled his head away to look at her. "Teeth," she gasped, though there was a small smile.

Randall let out a small laugh, "Sorry, I'll try to control them."

Danielle giggled and pressed her lips to his and gently pushed him down, she lying down beside him. They began to kiss and caress each other, most shyness now gone, eyes never leaving each other's. The tender embrace that Randall held her in and which he kissed, licked, nuzzled, and caressed her was beyond anything she had ever experienced. Gasping for air, Danielle broke from a kiss. The past kisses from her two 'boyfriends' had always left her curiously unmoved, but now...my god the lizard monster could kiss. She gasped and then happened to glance at his fronds. The tips seemed a bit darker, redder like blood was flushing through the tips. She smiled and kissed his lips lightly as she remembered what he had told her about them. She then ran her fingers up his neck and to his head and then to the longest frond. She felt a rush of wickedness as she began to stroke it.

Randall gasped and shuddered and pulled away looking at her, her brown eyes was darker and there was small mischievous smile on her kiss-swollen lips.

"You all right?" Danielle asked as she still slowly stoked it a small smile on her lips.

Randall let out a choked laugh, "Yes, it's just right now they are very sensitive."

"Oh really?" she said playfully. She tightened her grip.

He shuddered, a low groan coming from his throat that turned into a high, desperate whimper. He let his head fall back again as a pleasured grunt escaped him.

"So I guess I just found the other use for them huh?" Danielle giggled and let go giving him a few minutes.

After a few minutes, more sure and not so shy he leaned forward and kissed her, nuzzling Danielle's neck before leaving a slow trail of lingering kisses along her shoulder then back up. Randall then realized something. All his life he was always too busy and too much in a rush. Even sex had somehow always ended up rushed. This was the slowest he's ever really have gone. He knew she deserved it. Not sex. Not just sex. But love_-making_. He owed her a lot of things and this was one this he was glad to pay back because he loved her.

His thick fingers trailed down her chest and then pressed against her soft belly. "You still have a lot of clothes on," he whispered against her lips.

"So I do." Danielle whispered back. Her own fingers brushed against his as she popped the button on her jeans, but it was Randall that pulled the zipper on her jeans down and then leaned forward on his hands to place a ghost of a kiss in her lips before using his second hands; sticking his thumbs under the waist of her pants and panties and slowly drag them down Danielle wiggling around the best she could, to help him get them off. She was glad he was helping with this. Her wrist was still very sore and bruised encased in the brace. She was also getting excited now though it was her turn to be shy. For the first time without a fuzzy mind and fully paying attention to what they were doing, she was naked in front of him.

Randall stared at her in fascination. It was so different. He noticed with some amusement that though her face held none of the freckles, there was small scattering on her breasts, sides, belly and hips. There was something fascinating about the humanoid body, so much compared to his reptilian one, or any other monster's body for that matter. It was then he noticed that she had begun to squirm uncomfortably under his stare.

He stopped her when he ran his hand gently over her belly and downward. He was now starting to really enjoy this. He knew she was right. This was going to be better. He watched her as her eyes widened and she froze. She didn't stop him however.

Randall watched her face, alternating between her surprised face and at what he was doing. He pushed against her left hip making her roll onto her back. He paused, without hesitation and then ran a large finger in between the lips watching in fascination as she bucked off the bed. She was so slippery... his large finger found a small gap and he pushed his finger slowly inside. She was hot and moist. Again he couldn't help but notice it was the same as with female monsters. Other then the soft neatly trimmed red hair that lay as a small patch in the form of a triangle between her thighs, she was the same.

Danielle tried to remain still and in control but his finger felt huge inside her. She moaned as he began to slowly move it in and out, but she didn't buck like she had when he'd touched her the first way. Danielle thought her heart would explode in her chest. The tender gentleness...he was showing her now superseded any other anyone had shown her in the past. She could no longer hold her emotions back as the swell of emotions threatened to drown her, and the soft but firm fingers…there was nothing rough about them.

Randall watched her closely taking cues from her. If she was almost the same as a female monster then…he pulled his finger out and ran it back along the slit. When he brushed over a small bump, she shuddered and gasped. Randall smiled as he continued to rub just gasped again. In less than two minutes Randall had figured out exactly how she worked. She closed her eyes, enjoying his touches. A ferocious heat was building up between her legs and was slowly spreading all over her body. She felt like she was sinking at the unexpected sensations that ran through her body at his touch. She felt Randall press his lips to hers as he continued the ministrations to her. She kissed him back just as deeply, she pushing her own smaller tongue into his mouth and he met hers with his. Then, one for control in feelings and equality, Danielle pushed Randall away and back down on the bed.

She turned back on her side. He was looking at her confused, "What's wrong?" he asked.

Danielle was panting a little but she smile softly at him, "Nothing it, felt good. Real good, but this isn't just about me…it's about you too…it's about toi et moi. Me and you."

Randall could only nod as he watched her rub his chest and slowly work her way down his long body, him letting out soft grunts and moans and shivers in pleasure as with soft gentle fingers that were no stranger to hard work gently stroked and caressed his body. She had always been so gentle when she had touched and cared for him. He felt his head swimming as she touched him. He was slightly confused as to why, but the reason was right there. In the past, there would have been a small amount of foreplay and then the sex. The feelings that he was experiencing now were the start of what he had felt with others, but it had only been little and in passing. Here they were stronger and she hadn't even truly intimately touched him. He then realized why. It was because he loved her. They were turning sex into love.

Suddenly he bucked himself when she returned her finger to stoke around the sensitive two inch long slit. He was breathing heavily by the time her finger brushed over the slit and she looked up, meeting his gaze. "Show me," she commanded 's eyes closed as he relaxed his pelvic muscles and extended his now swollen member out and into her waiting hands. The relief was incredible - he hadn't realized how uncomfortable he was. His head fell back onto the pillow and he looked up at Danielle.

He recognized the look. It was her look she used when she was studying something. She had given him the same look when she had been learning about some of his extra abilities. It was look of shock and aloof scientific study. He chuckled softly though there wasn't anything really funny, he still smirked a little. "Danielle…"

She blinked and then blushed when she realized that she had been caught. "Sorry Randall…"Something wrong?" he asked, hoping he hadn't disappointed her.

Danielle blushed deeply as she shook her head. "No…everything is fine…" she looked back down at him. It was resting in her hands, hot and heavy. It was almost like a human's but not quite. It was fully erect and was mainly a dark purple, but the tip faded to a pink. The tip was more pointed then the rounded head of a human's. Licking her lips she slowly began to move her hand up and down, one hand around him and the other cupped over the pointed head. She heard Randall groan deep as she removed her top hand and began massaging the surrounding area at the base of his tail.

She listened with pleasure as his breaths came faster as she slowly moved her hands around him causing him to arch into the touch. He shuddered, grunting and then whimpered softly, moving with her, almost panting now.

Randall arched up into her hand as she gently but firmly stroked him. He had a death-grip on the sheets. He couldn't think... he couldn't breathe...suddenly his long torso shot up and pushed her away the same time he pulled her back up beside him. He held her gasping, trying to calm himself.

Danielle had been a little surprised when he moved like that. It was almost a blur. One minute she was at the end of the bed the next she was back at the top. Then without a word Randall gently pushed at her, until she rolled over on her back.

Randall stared at her, thinking something over and then slowly moved over top of her. Danielle met his eyes, shaking a bit. She nodded slightly realizing he was slightly asking her. He then tangled his top hands into her hair as he braced himself with his second set and his first legs wrapped around her hips and his braced with his last legs. His long body was bent in a high arch, his chest brushing hers while his long torso and belly was high above her, but his flat hips near, almost pressing against her. They rested like that for a few minutes, both Randall and Danielle becoming distracted when he began to run his fingers through her hair and massaged her scalp. The ridges and rounded fingertips pressed around her head and rubbed. Danielle moaned softly at the gentle, yet erotic caresses.

Randall was enjoying running the soft strands of hair through his fingers. The hair was soft and thick. When he had first met her, her hair had been shoulder length, but now after him hinting several times that he liked her hair, she had grown it out and it now was twice it's length. He always enjoyed touching her hair and smelling it and even burying his face into it. It comforted him and gave him little thrills.

Randall lifted his head from nuzzling and burying his face into her hair and met her eyes again. Time stopped and there was stillness when their lips met again. The tingling on their lips, the warmth and moisture of the other's breath, the foreign but familiar feeling that this was what they'd always wanted. Now without being distracted from this, the feelings, the emotions slowly sifted back in, not visual, but emotional. He gently deepened the kiss; Danielle was receptive and slid her left arm around Randall's long neck. The other hand went to the back of his head as he grunted quietly, clearly stifling some kind of noise. Danielle shuddered as she felt a shiver go up her spine.

He'd never felt a thrill like this before, bar none. And now not only was he giving and receiving a deep, romantic love, but also physical pleasure.

He dipped his tongue farther into her mouth, and slowly ran his hand down Danielle's side, causing her to squirm and gasp, as he made sure the soft ridges on his fingertips brushed against her smooth skin. Softly and slowly, he started moving down to kiss her neck. He stopped when he got just under her jawline. He used his wide head to tip her head back so that he could nibble and lick her neck. He heard her gasping and breathing heavy, he felt her hands at his shoulders and back, loving the feel of her holding and caressing his scales.

Danielle could feel a fire burning deep within her, she could only moan again, entire body tense. It was so good, and soothed yearnings she hadn't realized she'd had before then. She cried out softly, at a small surge of pleasure when Randall brushed his oh so soft fingertips down her sides and kissed and lovingly nipped her neck. It gave her a small thrill every time he brought those teeth close to her throat. She had great trust in him and he rewarded that trust with pleasurable kisses.

"Je t'aime, Randall." She whispered then blushed.

Randall lifted his head looking at her. He had heard that phrase before. "What?" His own voice was a raspy whisper.

She lowered her head and smiled at him, "_Mon chér, _je t'aime, Randall. I love you my darling." She whispered.

Randall shuddered. Now he knew why French was so arousing. The mysteriousness of the language and the way she rolled her vowels and even the way she said his name, the softened almost none existent R. She made his name so pleasing to the ear. "Again," He whispered back.

Danielle giggled softly, people and the fascination with French. "_Mon chér_ je t'aime, Randall. Fais-moi l'amour." She then leaned up and whispered to him and then laid her head back down into the pillow.

Randall smiled and nodded, "With pleasure." He then dipped his head and kissed her as he shifted again and heard Danielle began to breath deeply as he pressed into her.

Danielle's breath caught in her throat as the first waves of pleasure set in as Randall pushed in a bit more until he was completely buried inside her. She tried to relax, gritting her teeth. This was why she had felt so sore that day! She hadn't realized. She had forgotten. She had never felt so full. But it was wonderful, and even though she was being stretched wider than she thought was possible it didn't actually hurt. She fidgeted against him, wanting him to move.

She sighed as Randall began to move with her once again; sliding in as Danielle came up to met him. She then just closed her eyes and rolled her head back, enjoying it. Shuddering, Danielle slid her hands back up to Randall's shoulders, eliciting a shudder out of him as well, and making him arch into her touch.

Randall heard himself grunt and slid forward a little to cupped her head, his palms at her temples and his fingers in her hair. He pressed his lips to hers as he moved into her.

Danielle moaned deeply. It felt so good! She gasped, tightening her grip on Randall's shoulders, craving more as Randall held tightly to Danielle, both of them moaning into the kiss, tongues intertwined.

Slowly they both moved against each other, enjoying the waves of pleasure and feelings of love. Randall broke the kiss and lowered his head to rest it next to Danielle's pressing his cheek against hers. His steady breathing fell on her ears as she moaned softly from the blissful, increasingly urgent movements of him deep inside her.

Randall sighed heavily as he pushed against Danielle. It was tight- almost too tight for him, but he loved the feelings that washed over him. He nuzzled her neck, feeling her shudder and he groaned as she ran her hands over his back. This wasn't just sex…this was better. THIS was making love.

He nuzzled her again and closed his eyes and increased the pressure of his movements, taking her a little harder, that causing her to gasp and tighten her own grip.

"Oh, Mon dieu, Randall…"

This only encouraged him more, and he went faster, feeling so good. Both of them began trembling. Danielle gripped at the sheets, rolling her head back as she moaned desperately. She moaned louder as Randall moved into her. She couldn't help but squirm and whimper as he continued.

"Randall…allez! Come on!" Danielle's normality low soft voice was high and shaky. Panting, she threw her head back, moaning desperately.

Randall gripped at the sheets, giving a few short cries now eager for release. He shifted and moved faster into her once again, and increasing their pleasure seemingly ten fold as he whispered to her. Danielle's moans were almost screams, and Randall loved watching her. Randall pitched forward, growling, eyes now squeezed shut. He then relaxed and gasped deeply and then groaned as he pushed himself deeper and harder than before, wanting to reach his breaking point and give her what she so desired

"Danielle!"

His cry was high pitched, breathy, frenzied… passionate. Everything she'd wanted to hear when she heard Randall whisper 'Je t'aime, I love you', to her. She found herself unable to speak. She was gasping for breath, shaking, unable to do anything more than give short, high whimpers. Their sweat-slicked skin slid against each other, increasing the electricity between them. Her smooth skin, his slightly rough scales brushing over her skin.

Just when she thought she couldn't take anymore, her breath left her as she climaxed, as white heat coursed just underneath her skin. Her mind screaming out as her body gave into him, matching his rhythm. Heat pooled up in the pit of her belly as he pressed on. He began to move faster suddenly, even harder.

Watching her face delighted Randall more than anything ever had, and he also quickly found himself in the throes of orgasm. He growled as he worked inside her with quick, short thrusts, tensing and then causing both of them to scream as he pushed inside her once last time and his hot seed pumped into her as she clutched him tightly

Danielle groaned deeply as the thrusts extended her orgasm, feeling every throb and twitch, both now panting and shaking. Randall groaned and nuzzled her cheek, his tongue slipping out and pressed against her cheek. After a few more moments, he moved his mouth over to hers and took her lips again

Slowly they kissed, deeply and with love as Randall rolled to the side and pulled Danielle with him easily twisting and maneuvering them around until they were more comfortable. He reached around and pulled the throw that Danielle kept on the bed over them. Danielle sighed and snuggled up closer into his chest, her cheek pressed into his chest.

Randall closed his eyes and held Danielle close as Danielle's breath fluttered across his scales and scaleless arms that were wrapped around her as she rested next to him. He rested his head on top of hers as he felt the frantic beating of his heart starting to calm down.

"Are you glad that you stayed here?" Her voice was a bit rough and she cleared her throat.

"What?"

"Are you glad? I mean we can slowly work you where you can maybe met some other people, but in the mean time…we still have to keep you as a voice on the phone." Randall stroked a hand down her smooth back, over the curve of her hip, and rested a moment against her tattoos. He stroked them with his thumb then continued up until his fingers tangled in her hair. He tilted her head back and kissed her deeply on the mouth."Yes. Very. I have never been happier in my life. And we will get to that when the time comes. Je t'aime."

Danielle giggled tiredly, "I see the lessons have been paying off."

"So they have."

Danielle cut him off with a kiss and nuzzled his flat face with her nose. "Je t'aime neg Randall. Je t'aime."

A wonderful warm feeling exploded in Randall's chest. She loved him. Loved him despite almost dying at the machine he had built, despite his baggage. She loved him despite the fact he was a monster. He hugged her closer, his much longer body easily curling around hers. He entwined his tail around her left ankle. Danielle yawned and smuggled into Randall's arms. He closed his large eyes as he too began to drift off to sleep. As he did so he couldn't help but wonder what life would hold for them.

**~Fin~**

**Until I write the next story. Heh. Ok, so…this story is done…but THEIR story is not! So…watch out for part two! And I want to thank everyone for their very kinds words and encouragement! And a very special thanks to a special person who has helped me so much and has helped with this chapter. Pitbulllady. Thank you so much for putting up with my questions some that I know that you must have rolled your eyes at, but still thank you very much!**


	44. Chapter 41 censored

**Lost then Found bn Healed ch41 censored**

**After many requests I just decided to post the censored chapter. I try not to do censored versions cause I think I ruins it in the long run, but I do understand that some are uncomfortable. I've been thinking of posting this version for those that are uncomfortable for a long time and so I finally did. And now for those who get uncomfortable can enjoy the remainder of the story.**

**XXXX**

Both Danielle and Randall groaned at the sight of the mess. It really wasn't too bad, but still, it was a mess that neither really wanted to deal with.

There was a sharp yip and a tan and white blur banged into Danielle's legs. Bread was wigging like she hadn't seen Danielle in years. Danielle smiled and bent down and picked up the old dog. She held her head away as Bread tried to lick her face. "Yeah, yeah I missed you too," she scratched the dog's head as she whined and cried.

Randall reached out and patted the dog's head and Bread licked his hand. "Gee…thanks." He then looked at the cracked shotgun in his hands from where he had picked it up in the room, were Waternoose had grabbed it from Danielle and all but shattered it. "So, what do you want me to do with this?"

Danielle winced but put the dog down and took it. There were cracks in the wood and the barrel was bent some. "Well it's not of any use for me. I'll have to take it into the city had have the police department dispose of it."

Randall was eyeing her, "And did you really know how to use that or was it a bluff?"

Danielle laughed as she unloaded it, and carried it back to her room, Randall and the dog following. She opened her closet door and up it on the top shelf. "I know how to use it. Almost everyone knows how to use one out here. I've killed wild boar that has come into the yard."

"You? I thought that you was training to be that vet. Isn't killing animals the opposite of what you are trying to achieve?"

Danielle fell into a fit of giggles, "Yes, but I do have the right to protect myself and my pets. They are very destructive and extremely dangerously aggressive animals that eat everything in sight. Even dogs, cats and farm animals. They love chickens. That is one of the main reasons Mom and Dad got me a gun and taught how to shoot it. Even Dad who was born in the city."

"Very wild place." Randall commented still eyeing her.

She nodded, "It is, but wait until summer, it'll be hot and humid and the mosquitoes will be killers…but it'll be beautiful."

They then stood in an awkward silence, not sure how to proceed. They may have admitted their love for each other and had even gotten comfortable kissing each other, but things was still a bit awkward, something that both knew will slowly be broken with time. "Yeah…so we better clean the mess in the kitchen and I'll go to the hospital to have them check out this wrist and then to the store."

Randall snickered, "And what about all those calls on the answering machine?"

Danielle winced and put a finger to her lips, "Shh, maybe if they don't hear us, they'll go away on their own."

Randall snorted and crossed all four of his arms, "And you honestly believe that?"

"No. One can wish though." Danielle walked up to him and bumped him, "Stop being a killjoy." She then walked out of the room.

"Me…a killjoy? Why I'm the fun guy around here. It's you that is the wet blanket." Randall persisted as he followed her.

Danielle stopped in the hallway and scooped up Butter who had appeared with a loud cry. She cuddled the large fluffy yellow cat to her, the feline purring madly. "I was wondering where you were." The cat rubbed his face against her chin. "I'm hardly a wet blanket Randall. Didn't Mardi Gras prove what a 'wet blanket' I'm not, Beb."

Randall shut his mouth fast.

"I thought so," Danielle said a bit smugly. She put the cat down and walked over the answering machine in the living room corner. She sighed tiredly and nervously pressed the button to hear them.

"First unheard message: 'D, it's Liss. I wanted to know if you wanted me to help you out with cramming for final exams? I know we wait until the last week to study, but I figure if we start now, we can get you out of school this May. Speaking of which, how come you're not answering the-'

Danielle winced as the machine cut off Liss's message.

"Second message: D, honey? Why aren't you answering the phone? Listen, I want you to call me back pronto. We got cut off. What else happened? Where are you-'

The machine cut her off again.

She groaned, listening to the messages. One even telling her that Liss and Michael had drove out there and was wondering where she was since her truck was still there. Then there were a few from her school then from Ray her boss, who was not happy with her. Finally guessing who the final message was from she turned the answering machine down as far as possible.

"Thirtieth message: 'WHY YOU NOT ANSWERING THE PHONE, ?' Danielle's mother roared into the room. I IS WORRIED SICK, WHERE YOU AT? JE VAIS THE PASSER UNE CALLOTTE IF YOU NOT ANSWER THE PHONE RIGHT NOW-"

"People leave too long messages," she grumbled, erasing the messages before dialing her boss's number, "Either that, or my phone's too old to take much abuse."

Randall sniggered, as he was sweeping up the dog and cat food that was scattered across the floor. When the animals had run out of food, Butter the smart cat he was had pawed the cabinet where Danielle had kept the pet food at open and both he and Bread had helped themselves to the bags of food. "Well it hasn't died yet."

"Yeah…yet." Danielle rolled her eyes and waited for her boss to answer. When he did he scolded for a bit and Danielle took it, wincing a few times. She then was allowed to tell her side and then got chastised again. Danielle then gave a half smile, "Thank you so much Ray. Thank you…yes, I'll watch it. Thank you giving me a chance." she then hung up and sighed.

"So. What did he say?" Randall asked from the kitchen as he tried to shoo Butter away from attacking the broom.

Danielle turned and giggled and went over and picked the cat up and held the purring fur ball. "Well, I was very close to being fired. Since I have had a good work record since I've been working there and it was my first mess up, I was just put on a week suspension, no pay."

Randall nodded, "That was very lucky." He finished sweeping the huge mess up into a pile.

Danielle put the cat down and went and got the dustpan and held it as Randall swept the food up into the pan and she threw it away. They did this a few times and Danielle then sighed. "I think I put it off long enough. I really do need to get to the doctor. I can't wear a newspaper cast all the time."

Randall shook his head, "No, especially not one that is from Monstropolis."

"Yep." Danielle began to unwrap the strips of the towel and then the newspaper. She handed the newspaper to Randall.

He glanced at it as he went to throw it away. "Hey…this was yesterday's…I didn't get to read it."

"Really?" Danielle was straightening the ace bandage; "Mike said that you read it when he handed it to me."

"And you believed him?"

"So that's why he had the funny smirk on his face when I asked if you had read it first. I'm sorry Randall I should have known." Danielle still had to hold back a smile. It was so amusing now. Mike really did rub the salt in but Randall rose to his bait. Why was it Randall and Sulley the ex-rivals. It seemed to her it was more Mike and Randall that fought and argued like competing siblings.

"I'm not liking that smirk of yours…he did it on purpose." Randall grumbled. It was childish and he wasn't really that worried about it. It was the fact that Mike intentionally did it to try a prove something.

"Randall…it was a paper…"Danielle sniggered.

"I know but it's the fact that he did it to spite me." Randall had turned away. When he turned back a mop and bucket was thrust into his hands. "Well Beb…you can complain to Mrs. Mop and Mr. Bucket."

"What!?"

She only smiled, "I'm not going to listen to your childish complaining about Mike. He's in Monstropolis and you are here. Besides I need to get to the hospital and have them take care of my wrist then I have to go shopping. You can do a bit of cleaning to work up an appetite for later."

"I love how you take charge Toots. And an appetite huh?" Randall smirked as he followed her as she picked up her wallet and keys.

"Uh huh…"

"An appetite for what?"

"Dinner of course…" Danielle turned and glanced at him knowing him by now to try to make her blush.

"Mere food? Maybe I want more then mere food…" Randall had made to move up closer to her. He was both meaning it and playing around. He was surprised when Danielle spun on him and kissed him fully on the lips. She then danced away and toward the door.

"You are all talk and no walk Randall." she then winked and was out the door with Randall staring after her.

He looked down at the dog and cat sitting and standing by his feet. "Well…this wasn't how I was planning on spending our first day back," He chuckled. He then shook his head at the blank looks in the animal's eyes. Randall then turned and began to prep in mopping the floor. He actually didn't mind, the kitchen really the only dirty room in the house and he had to help repay her back some how. It wasn't like he could go shopping for her and she did need to go to the hospital. He realized this was a small price to pay for choosing to leave the Monster World, to be with Danielle. But, it was a price that he was willing to pay and he knew that if he and she was careful, he didn't have to hide out in the house and swamp forever. Maybe…he could later on really test the openness that Danielle had claimed that most humans in Louisiana had. Maybe he could step out and carefully reveal himself to a few. Randall had found that even though there was the starting awkwardness after they got back, he found the he was actually and strangely more comfortable here then he was back there.

As Randall cleaned, lost in his musings he leaned on the mop. It was strange that all that time and planning on going home, that when he got there, the one thing he wanted was to go back to the Human World. He had never imagined that his 'home' would end up where he felt that he didn't belong.

XXXX

It was almost dark when Danielle finally began her drive home. Her doctor hadn't been happy with her at all. She didn't know what took longer, the x-rays on her lungs and her wrist or the lecture he had given her like she was some child. She had sat there freezing in the thin paper gown and he had lectured like she was some naughty 6 year old. When he was done and had scribbled off her prescriptions for the pain relievers and new inhalers, and had left she had growled and ripped the paper gown off and got dressed. She went and filled her prescriptions and went food and pet food shopping. As she did she couldn't help but think on the fact that Randall had chosen to come back with her. She was thrilled by all means. She could only hope that he wouldn't regret it. She would try her best to make sure he didn't feel trapped. She hadn't been lying on Mardi Gras when she had told him that a lot of people wouldn't think twice about what he was especially the older Cajuns. But they'll get to it when the time comes. What made her worried now was what was they supposed to do? They had admitted their love, and were now together as a couple, but did that mean they had to just straight into bed? Did he expect that? Danielle wasn't too sure she was quite ready. She decided to give it a few days, let things settle down. She still had yet to call her mother and Liss. As she paid for the groceries she also decided that it'd be best for him to sleep in the spare bed for a few nights. She could only hope that he would understand.

On the way home she had stopped by the restaurant that she worked. They were glad to see her and they had fussed over her newly encased wrist. She had finally fought them off and ordered her and Randall's dinner and went to talk to her boss. She thanked him again for simply not firing her. Shortly her order was ready and she had paid for it and headed home.

It was about an hour later when she pulled into her drive. There were a few lights on, but the house was mainly dark. She then honked the horn twice then a single long one, singling to Randall that it was her. It was a signal that they had worked out all most three months ago. The door opened and Randall poked his head out. She smiled as she turned the truck off. He came up to the driver's door. "Need help?" he asked.

"Yes please." Together they unloaded the truck and got the stuff inside. She smiled and thanked him whole-heartedly when she saw the clean shiny floor. It was then she noticed that living room floor was clean was well. She smiled and kissed him thanks, easing some of her worries.

"Yeah…I noticed that the pet food was scattered in there too." Randall told her as the food was heating up. He walked up and took her arm that was encased in a gray and tan brace that went partly up her arm. He looked down at it and ran his fingers over the brace and up her arm.

Danielle shivered a bit when his velvet soft fingers brushed against the sensitive skin of her inner forearm. She looked up and saw a look of mischievous. He then let go of her wrist and then disappeared down the hallway Danielle looking curiously after him. He was gone for a few minutes and he came back.

"Close your eyes." He smiled the mischievous look now spreading from his eyes to his face. "Go on," he coaxed when she looked at him funny.

Danielle did and she felt him take her wrist and then heard the sound of a marker against the brace.

"Ok."

Danielle opened her eyes and then looked down at her wrist. She felt a smile and then a giggle escaped her mouth. She looked back up at Randall. He was smirking and capping a permanent marker.

"What? I had to add my own name on the cast. It's like tradition," he said the very same words she had told him when she had signed her name onto the pink cast he had worn.

Danielle laughed looked back down at his name. It had backwards slant to it, the 'R' was really big and fancy with a small 'flag', but all the rest of the letters really small and neat the last 'l' having a 'tail'. It was a beautiful flowing script. She ran a finger over the dried ink and then leaned forward and kissed Randall. "Thanks."

Xx

Danielle was munching on a meatless pie as she stared at the phone, debating on whom to call first. Liss or her mother.

"The phone isn't going to dial it's self Danielle." Randall said for the kitchen, "And I can't do it for you."

"I know, I know." Danielle grumbled, "I got a good story though."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, kill two birds with one stone as they say. After Mardi Gras I decided to go to…Indiana with you and while there I got sick."

"That would work…but one thing…wouldn't you mother ask about me?" Randall appeared in the doorway. "Liss is one thing…you mother…"

"Sacred of the mother Randall? Besides she'll probably be glad that my love life is picking up, my father…he'll be happy that I'm happy."

"What? No. What I mean is won't she want to met me?" Randall told her softly.

"She would yes, but for now we'll tell her what we told Liss. You come and go…don't know when you will be around." Danielle went to pick the phone up and dialed her mother's number.

The phone gave a single ring before her mother answered. "What took you so long, Danielle? I was ready to send you sister out there." she demanded, her high voice cracking with anger and worry.

"I'm sorry, Maman," she apologized. "I got invited to go to a friend's at the last second, and I got sick and I couldn't call."

"Don't lie to me," her mother said, sounding coldly skeptical. "I spoke to Lissette Miller. She no know where you at."

"That's because I haven't even talked to her yet," Danielle said patiently, "I was with my…boyfriend."

A shocked silence was all that met her words, but a glance at Randall showed her he was actually nodding his head encouragingly.

"What… dat you… say?" her mother asked in a low hushed voice, like Danielle had really told her that she had been diagnosed with cancer.

"Well after Mardi Gras I took a little trip," Danielle said sheepishly before telling her mother a much-edited version of what had happened. "I'm seeing him, and… well, that's pretty much it," she concluded, taking a drink of the coffee Randall passed her as her mother stayed silent.

"Danielle..." her mother said quietly. "I not think t'as thought yous way through tis."

"Sure I did," she defended herself, "You are always saying I need to find a man…well I found one. Now Mom, I have got to get going and call Liss."

"Wait! Gar-ici! What is name?" Her mother shrieked.

"I didn't tell you? It's Randall Boggs, I'll talk to you later." her mother began to sputter in shock as Danielle shut off the phone, breathing heavily like she had just run a marathon.

"One down, one to go," she giggled as Randall who had had smile on his face was shaking his head.

The next half hour was spent talking to Liss on the phone. Once Danielle assured her that she was fine now, she hung up. Yawning, she looked at the clock. It was almost 9. "Oh God. You know that time difference is a killer."

Randall looked up from his coffee and nodded. "It can be. What you going to do?"

"Take a shower and go to bed. Uh Randall…" this was one of the things she had to address.

"Yeah…would you feel more comfortable if we slept separate for a bit?" Randall asked with surprisingly understanding.

"Uh…yeah. For a few nights. Just until things settle down." Danielle blushed some and looked away. She then felt soft fingers on her face and she turned to look at Randall. He softly kissed her and she kissed him back. His tongue then gently pushed into her mouth and she allowed it. Danielle moaned softly and then stepped back. Swallowing hard she smiled at him, "Yeah it'd be best for a few nights." she then stepped back up to him and kissed him briefly on the lips. "Good night, Randall."

"Good night Danielle."

XX

After her shower and changed into nightclothes Danielle was laying in bed, both the animals curled up at the foot. She opened her eyes staring out into the dark. The full size bed felt huge after sleeping on the couch with Randall behind her. She did really miss that, but it was very wise to sleep alone for the next few nights. They will have penalty of time later. She yawned and then pulled an extra pillow to her and hugged it falling asleep after the very long day.

XX

Randall was curled up in a ball. He too was still awake. He was staring out the window into the dark yard. He sighed. He understood why Danielle wanted to sleep alone for a few nights and he had to admit it was a very good idea. She was nervous in taking that next step, and truth be told, so was he. For all of his talk he was nervous in actually sleeping with her and it was both because she was human and because it was no longer a one-night stand. He remembered bits and pieces, but that was all. He was just mainly worried that he would freak her out in some way. He stretched out and then curled back up. He did however missed sleeping next to her. Her body was soft and warm and he had loved being close so he could touch her hair and run the ends across his lips and face. Randall let out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep.

XXX

The next few days were spent settling back down and after her school and sometimes volunteer work both Danielle and Randall got used each other as now more then friends. They fussed and played with each other, showing that they would remain as friends and not just as lovers. They would walk around outside the weather slowly turning nice. They would hold hand and kiss and caresses each other. At night they would watch TV and drink coffee. Together they would stretch out on the floor and Danielle would lean against Randall's long warm body. He would twist around and play with her hair, still having the endless fascination with it. This night they both ended up laying beside each other, a small kiss that was turning into more.

Not hesitating one second, Danielle kissed him. She was on her side, Randall stretched out beside her. He had one hand tangled into her hair and another was cupping and caressing her face another arm was around her waist and his tail was wrapped around her ankle.

Sighing, Danielle deepened the kiss as Randall's hand wondered up and down her body, slipping underneath her green pinstriped blouse to shyly touch her skin. Randall was the one that deepen the kiss a bit more slowly pushing his tongue her mouth and stroke against her own. Then it was Randall that pulled away to her surprise sliding his hands out of her clothes.

Danielle took a deep breath; the time has come for her decision. She was still nervous, but the nervousness will stay there until they finally made love and not leave it at the one night of sex. She was sure she would have to do some coaxing for Randall to loosen up. It was a big decision to make, but in the end it was an easy one.

She stood up and began to put the cushions up Randall following her example. When they was down and lights was shut off, she went over and just in case, she turned the phone off from the main connecter, Randall then followed her, walking her to her bedroom door as he had been doing for a kiss and then go to his own room. Danielle got to her room and turned and leaned against the frame. "Randall, I was thinking… about tonight." She caught his eyes.

He looked confused. "What about tonight?"

After a moment she smiled still looking his bright green eyes, "Will you stay here with me tonight? Will you sleep with me? Will you spend the night in my bed…as my lover?"

His eyes widened in surprise a little, and then he glanced quickly down, and then looked back up and took a step toward her.

Randall hesitantly touched her cheek, as Danielle closed her eyes at the feeling of his soft fingers. "Are you sure?" He asked her. "I can wait…. we don't have to do this right now…"

Danielle opened her eyes. "I'm sure Randall. If I wasn't I wouldn't have suggested it." she then met his suddenly shy green eyes. "Let me ask you…do you want to do this?"

Randall closed his eyes, swallowed hard and groaned deep. He fidgeted for a few seconds and then stepped up closer to her. He began to rub his head against hers, an occasional pass of a hot wet tongue pressed against her neck, causing Danielle to shudder slightly. He paused and then wrapped his top arms around her and pulled her close. "Yes." his voice was deeper and husky.

"Then…come on." Danielle took his top hands and stepped away and backed into her room, pulling Randall with her. There was only a shy resistance then he stepped forward and followed her into the room.

He pushed the door closed with his tail and allowed her to gently pull him over close to the bed. He swallowed nervously and then huffed inside his head. What was wrong with him? He wasn't a virgin and neither was she. He was certainly wasn't the sort to get all shy and flustered.

Danielle ran her fingers over his crest. "Randall…relax. It's not like we haven't done this before."

Randall nodded, "True, but…"

She chuckled, "But we was drunk? I know. We've done this before, but this time is will be different."

"And how do you know this?" He asked boldly, closing his eyes at her now rubbing the crest, running her fingers in between the sensitive fronds.

"Because…we aren't drunk now."

Randall's green eyes snapped open. She was right. They weren't. He didn't know if that made him feel better or worse. He decided that it made him feel both. And he also felt that he needed a bit more coaxing. "What if we…what if it's bad?"

Danielle smiled again, "Randall, Beb, let me put it this way… if I remember right…if doing it drunk felt good, then I'm sure that not being drunk and remembering everything, will be wonderful." she had paused in rubbing his crest and between the fronds, she resumed now.

Randall made a deep noise and raised his head more into her touches. Danielle's eyes softened at seeing him relax. "Well…if you insist," he whispered sounding more sure of himself. Something came over Randall and he had to do it. He then stretched his long neck forward and gently pressed his lips against Danielle's. Just when Randall was about to pull away, Danielle pressed closer. Strangely enthralled, Randall slipped his tongue out and softly caressed her lips.

Danielle responded slowly, barely parting her lips. She parted her lips and the tongue slid into her mouth. She shuddered, deepening the kiss a little. She felt something stirring deep within her as they kissed. This was so interesting on her part. His tongue was wickedly long and very strong as it wrapped around her short flat one. As he moved his tongue into her mouth, she couldn't help the small moan into his mouth as she felt his large hand come up behind her and rub her shoulder blades while another hand clasped down on her right hip and the other rubbing firmly against her spine, the thumbs both caressing and pressing.

Randall had been running his hand over her back and when he rubbed his thumb against her spine he was surprised at the reaction when she moaned and leaned closer, arching. It was just a simple touch, but it seemed to be one she really enjoyed, but either way, it made him to responded instantly, the kiss becoming harder and more passionate.

Suddenly Danielle pushed him away gasping for air. He looked at her in concern and a bit disappointed. "Are you alright?" He asked gently as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine." She then quirked her lips, "Lay down on the bed."

Randall looked at her tentatively.

"Go on. I'm sure that we can do it standing, but I think that with your long body and my short one, it'll be more comfortable on the bed." Danielle giggled, as she blushed a bit.

Randall did as well and he slid up on the bed. Danielle pulled her shoes off, her socks soon following. She then stretched out beside him. She caught his eyes and then began to slowly trace his scales on his chest. He was getting relaxed enough, but she wanted him more so. When they had sex that Mardi Gras night, it had been fast paced, though they had done it twice that night, she didn't really get the chance to touch him…to really see him. Keeping eye contact, she played her fingers along his chest. The tops of his scales were smooth then it dipped down to the gap to his skin. It gave him a mix of smooth and roughness. A mix that she loved to touch. She had always loved to touch him.

Randall sighed under the touches as he laid there for a bit as she traced the scales on his chest. Her fingers then began to press harder and move up his neck and then…. his eyes rolled back in his head as she rubbed up his wide jaw. A low groan came from his throat. He head Danielle chuckling at him, "Feel good Randall?" She asked a smile in her voice.

"Oh yeah…" he breathed. The feelings were incredible. She seemed to know where to scratch and caresses. It was the massages all over again and if she was trying to relax him, then it was working.

She chuckled again and scratched and stroked under his chin with her fingers. There was only slight discomfort in her fingers, but it was something she could tolerate. She stopped and slowly ran her hand down his neck; loving the feel of his smooth soft, yet firm warm scales. This time she didn't stop at his chest but ran her hand down his long torso and then sitting up some she ran her hand down some more and her other hand joining it and she began to rub his belly. Suddenly he laughed.

"What's so funny?" she asked as she rubbed his belly.

"Just that I'm getting that 'tummy rub'." Randall looked down at her.

Danielle giggled, "I told you that I'd be happy to oblige." She winked at him. She was

glad that he was relaxing. Normally she'd feel a bit disappointed that he wasn't touching her, but right now she didn't mind. He had been so unsure and tense when she had asked him to spend the night in her room.

After a few minutes, more sure and not so shy he leaned forward and kissed her, nuzzling Danielle's neck before leaving a slow trail of lingering kisses along her shoulder then back up. Randall then realized something. All his life he was always too busy and too much in a rush. Even sex had somehow always ended up rushed. This was the slowest he's ever really have gone. He knew she deserved it. Not sex. Not just sex. But _love _making. He owed her a lot of things and this was one this he was glad to pay back because he loved her

Slowly they kissed, deeply and with love as Randall pulled Danielle with him easily twisting and maneuvering them around until they were more comfortable. He reached around and pulled the throw that Danielle kept on the bed over them. Danielle sighed and snuggled up closer into his chest, her cheek pressed into his chest.

Randall closed his eyes and held Danielle close as Danielle's breath fluttered across his scales and scaleless arms that were wrapped around her as she rested next to him. He rested his head on top of hers as he felt the frantic beating of his heart starting to calm down.

"Are you glad that you stayed here?" Her voice was a bit rough and she cleared her throat.

"What?"

"Are you glad? I mean we can slowly work you where you can maybe met some other people, but in the mean time…we still have to keep you as a voice on the phone."

Randall stroked a hand down her smooth back, over the curve of her hip, and rested a moment against her tattoos. He stroked them with his thumb then continued up until his fingers tangled in her hair. He tilted her head back and kissed her deeply on the mouth.

"Yes. Very. I have never been happier in my life. And we will get to that when the time comes. Je t'aime."

Danielle giggled tiredly, "I see the lessons have been paying off."

"So they have."

Danielle cut him off with a kiss and nuzzled his flat face with her nose. "Je t'aime neg Randall. Je t'aime."

A wonderful warm feeling exploded in Randall's chest. She loved him. Loved him despite almost dying at the machine he had built, despite his baggage. She loved him despite the fact he was a monster. He hugged her closer, his much longer body easily curling around hers. He entwined his tail around her left ankle. Danielle yawned and smuggled into Randall's arms. He closed his large eyes as he too began to drift off to sleep. As he did so he couldn't help but wonder what life would hold for them.

**~Fin~**

**Until I write the next story. Heh. Ok, so…this story is done…but THEIR story is not! So…watch out for part two! And I want to thank everyone for their very kinds words and encouragement! And a very special thanks to a special person who has helped me so much and has helped with this chapter. Pitbulllady. Thank you so much for putting up with my questions some that I know that you must have rolled your eyes at, but still thank you very much!**


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